# India coach backs Kuldeep Yadav amid criticism over usage 2026-08-22T04:35:54+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule defended Kuldeep Yadav on Friday, saying the left-arm wrist spinner remains in the team management's 'scheme of things' ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka starting August 23 in Colombo. Bahutule's comments come after former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif criticised captain Shubman Gill for not backing Kuldeep in the first Test at Galle, where he bowled only 25 overs and took one wicket. Kaif said on his YouTube channel that wrist-spinners need longer spells to settle into a rhythm and that Gill's short spells showed a lack of faith. Kaif also agreed with former coach Ravi Shastri that Kuldeep is India's No. 1 spinner in overseas conditions and could be key on flat pitches. He suggested India may consider handing a debut to off-spinner Saransh Jain in Colombo to counter Sri Lanka's left-handed batters. Kuldeep has taken 80 wickets in 19 Tests at an average of 23.36. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The two sources frame Kuldeep's situation differently. Sports.ndtv.com leads with the coach's public backing, suggesting official confidence in the bowler. Times of India leads with Kaif's criticism, emphasising captain Gill's alleged lack of faith and the risk of dropping a unique talent. The coach's statement counters the external criticism but does not confirm Kuldeep will play in Colombo. The measured reading is that the team is publicly supportive but faces a genuine selection dilemma, especially with left-handers in Sri Lanka's lineup. Watch for the playing XI on August 23. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 1 neutral, 1 sensationalist - sports.ndtv.com (neutral report) Leads with coach's defence of Kuldeep, straight factual report of Bahutule's statement - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (sensationalist) Leads with Kaif's sharp criticism, uses 'didn't back him' framing and speculation on Kuldeep being dropped This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T08:50:51+00:00. Tags: India cricket team, Kuldeep Yadav, Sairaj Bahutule, Sri Lanka cricket team Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-backs-kuldeep-yadav-for-second-sri-lanka-test/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-backs-kuldeep-yadav-for-second-sri-lanka-test/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/