Why did Kuldeep Yadav miss third ENG vs IND ODI at Lord’s?
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Kuldeep Yadav did not play any of the three ODIs on the England tour.
India are on tour of England, where they are playing the final match of the ODI series on Sunday, July 19. The third ODI of the series is a decisive clash, which will determine the winner of the ODI campaign.
Shubman Gill-led India had three spinners in the squad for the ODI series, namely, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. While Axar and Sundar played the first two ODIs, Kuldeep did not get a chance there.
Meanwhile, ahead of the third ODI, the right-arm spin all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out due to his hamstring injury. India named Harsh Dubey as his replacement.
The Men in Blue have fielded only one spinner for the third ODI, Axar Patel, and neither of Kuldeep Yadav nor Harsh Dubey got a nod for this clash, which caught many by surprise.
Why is Kuldeep Yadav not playing ENG vs IND 3rd ODI?
Kuldeep Yadav is the only pure spinner among the three Indian spinners present in England. Axar Patel and Harsh Dubey are regarded as bowling all-rounders. Despite the ability to pick wickets, Kuldeep has not been given a go for this series.
One could reason that the pitches in England do not aid to the spinners as much. England’s wrist spinner Adil Rashid went wicketless in both the previous fixtures. Only Axar Patel (5) and Will Jacks (1) have claimed some scalps. Moreover, the advantage of batting that a spin all-rounder provides is lacking from Kuldeep.
India have faced problems with picking wickets, especially in the middle overs. In the first ODI, India did not pick any wickets from the 22nd to the 44th over of the game, and let a hundred-run partnership build. Kuldeep is a genuine wicket-taker, who can be incredibly important in the middle overs for the team and can break partnerships.
Kuldeep last featured in the 2nd ODI against Afghanistan in June, where he went wicketless after bowling his full spell. However, he was economical giving away only 42 runs in 10 overs.
In the New Zealand series, Kuldeep picked 3 wickets in 3 matches at an economy of over 7. However, the series against South Africa in 2025 was phenomenal for him, where he picked 9 wickets becoming the highest wicket-taker; with an economy of 6.2.
Why did Kuldeep Yadav miss third ENG vs IND ODI at Lord’s?
Kuldeep missed third ENG vs IND ODI because of the pitch conditions and team combinations.
Where is the 3rd ENG vs IND ODI?
The 3rd ENG vs IND ODI is at the Lord’s.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.