Kuldeep was dropped over Suryakumar rift: Ex-Pakistan star’s explosive claim; accuses Gambhir of ‘hurting India’s image’

Ahmed Shehzad made a startling claim, speculating that Kuldeep was left out due to an alleged rift with captain Suryakumar Yadav.

In the wake of India’s 76-run loss to South Africa in the Super 8 clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday, questions have been raised about Kuldeep Yadav’s absence from the playing XI. India’s lack of a Plan B was evident as Varun Chakravarthy endured a rare off day, which South Africa’s batters capitalised on to set up an emphatic win.

India's Kuldeep Yadav and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, during a warm-up session (Sportz Asia)

Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad made a startling claim, speculating that Kuldeep was left out due to an alleged rift with captain Suryakumar Yadav.

Shehzad referred to a viral post-match on-field clip from the Pakistan game in which Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar appeared visibly frustrated with Kuldeep following a fielding error. Their gestures suggested displeasure at the lapse.

That remains the only game Kuldeep has played in the tournament so far. In Colombo, at the spin-friendly R Premadasa Stadium, India opted for an extra spinner in place of Arshdeep Singh. However, at Indian venues, the team has largely relied on Varun as their primary spin option.

“There was an incident after the Pakistan game where Suryakumar Yadav pushed him. People are now saying that perhaps Kuldeep Yadav was dropped because of a disciplinary issue or a problem with Suryakumar Yadav. Otherwise, he would not have been left out. Kuldeep Yadav brings variation and is a match-winner,” he said.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir was also drawn into Shehzad’s remarks. The former Pakistan batter went on to accuse Gambhir of damaging the team’s image by bringing politics into the dressing room environment.

“When you enter any field, complete focus is needed. Gambhir entered politics, and obviously his mindset changed. He was not very successful in politics, but it seems he has brought that same politics into the team environment. All this politics from Gautam Gambhir has damaged the image of the Indian team,” Shehzad said.

He further alleged that Gambhir’s inability to maximise available resources, including Kuldeep, has contributed to India’s struggles in the tournament.

“The team resources are not being used properly — Gautam Gambhir is not managing them well. You have a match-winner like Kuldeep Yadav, but he’s not being handled correctly,” he added.