Kuldeep Yadav should have told KKR to release him if they don't play him enough, feels Gautam Gambhir

01/23/2021

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Former KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir feels that Kuldeep Yadav should have left the Kolkata-franchise to play for another side if he ain't getting chances in the team's XI. He also added that now that he has been retained, he should play in the side or else, it can be harmful for his career.

Kuldeep Yadav's stocks have been on the downward spiral for some time now. His performances for India in limited-overs cricket have been mediocre of late. And surprisingly, despite being one of the premier Indian spinners, he was overlooked from the KKR side in the IPL 2020 for an uncapped Varun Chakravarthy, most of the times. He featured in only five out of 14 games last IPL while in IPL 2019, he only played nine games.

It was expected that given a lack of trust that KKR have on the left-arm wrist-spinner due to his average performances, he would be let go by the Kolkata-based franchise but that wasn't the case as he was retained alongside Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. Former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir was also left surprised by KKR's decision to retain him and feels he should play for a franchise that gives him more chances. He reckons for an Indian player not to play in team's XI in IPL can be 'harmful.'

"I am a little surprised about Kuldeep Yadav being retained because he did not get the opportunities. I would have wanted to see Kuldeep Yadav go to a franchise where he gets an opportunity to play," Gambhir told Star Sports, reported HT.

"Because if you are playing for India and not part of your franchise's playing XI, it is somewhere or the other be harmful to your career."

He also added that now that they have retained him, he should get his chances and feels if Kuldeep was released, then a lot of teams would have gone for him in the franchise.

"Now that you have retained him, they should play him. Otherwise, I feel Kuldeep Yadav should have himself said that if he is not in their scheme of things, he should be given an opportunity to go and play somewhere else," he added.

"If Kuldeep Yadav had come into the auction, a lot of franchises would have gone for him," he signed off.