Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir Sent Strong Selection Message: Kuldeep Yadav Urged for 2nd ODI Against Australia

Former India pacer Varun Aaron has sent a clear and strong message to India's new ODI captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the crucial second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval on October 23, 2025. Aaron urged for the inclusion of the left-arm chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI, emphasizing the need for a more attacking bowling option in the middle overs—something he felt was markedly missing in India’s one-sided defeat in the first ODI at Perth.

The Call for Kuldeep’s Inclusion

Aaron specifically suggested that Washington Sundar, who along with Axar Patel represents a duo of defensive bowlers focusing on metrics like building pressure rather than taking wickets, could be replaced by Kuldeep Yadav for the second ODI. “Especially when the fast bowlers are done, you need someone who can toss the ball up, extract some spin from the surface, or deceive batters with natural variations. Kuldeep is perfect for that,” Aaron noted.

He underlined the fact that Kuldeep has been sidelined for too long despite his capability to be a genuine wicket-taking threat. In his ODI career so far, Kuldeep has taken 181 wickets in 113 matches, and notably, he boasts 31 wickets in just 23 ODIs against Australia, underscoring his effectiveness against the current opponents.

Batting Strength Allows Flexibility

With a powerful batting lineup featuring stars like Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, Aaron feels India can afford to use the extra slot for a specialist bowler without compromising their batting depth. “You don’t need to bat beyond number seven when your top order has five world-class batters. You have to take 10 wickets to win matches, and Kuldeep is capable of that,” he stated.

Recap of the First ODI

India’s first ODI outing at Perth was hampered not just by poor batting performances but also by subpar bowling effectiveness in middle overs. The Indian top order faltered with Rohit Sharma scoring 8, Virat Kohli going for a duck, and new captain Shubman Gill making 10. Rain interruptions reduced the match to 26 overs a side and India struggled to post a competitive total of 136/9.

Only a 39-run partnership between KL Rahul (38 runs off 31 balls) and Axar Patel (31 off 38) offered resistance. Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed a quick 19 not out to help India reach their total.

On the Australian side, debutants Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Owen impressed alongside established players like Mitchell Marsh, who scored an unbeaten 46, helping Australia chase down the revised target with seven wickets in hand.

What's Next?

India now trail 0-1 in the three-match ODI series, making the clash in Adelaide a must-win. With the balance of the squad and combinations under scrutiny, Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion could provide the much-needed attacking bite India missed in Perth.

Gill and Gambhir face a crucial selection decision, and voices from former cricketers like Varun Aaron show growing pressure to recall Kuldeep to strengthen the bowling attack against a formidable Australian batting line-up.