Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav was excluded from the Men in Blue's playing XI for the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, October 19. India and Australia have locked horns for the first time since the Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal this year, where the Men in Blue defeated the reigning world champions by four wickets to qualify for the final in Dubai.

There was much anticipation for the ODI clash between India and Australia, not only because of their fierce rivalries for several decades, but also because of the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to international cricket after a gap of six months. However, the Indian batting stalwarts did not live up to the billing as they were both dismissed cheaply, with Rohit scoring just 8 runs off 14 balls and Kohli falling for an 8-ball duck.

The ongoing first ODI against Australia in Perth is the first assignment in the shorter format since the Champions Trophy 2025 final, with Shubman Gill leading the side after taking ODI captaincy baton from Rohit Sharma ahead of the series against Australia.

No Kuldeep Yadav in the Playing XI

Shubman Gill-led Team India lost the toss against Australia skipper Mitchell Starc and was put into bat first. At the toss, Gill confirmed that visitors were going with three pacers and three all–rounders in their playing XI for the series opener in Perth.

With debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy picked as a seam-bowling all-rounder and Axar Patel and Washington Sundar added to the team as spin-bowling all-rounders, Kuldeep Yadav could not find a spot in the playing XI. It was expected that Kuldeep would be picked in India's playing XI, given his red-hot form and reliability as a white-ball spinner.

In the 2025 Asia Cup, the 30-year-old was the highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets and took 12 wickets in the recently concluded Test series against the West Indies, marking his comeback to red-ball cricket after nearly a year.

Here's a look at #TeamIndia's Playing XI for the 1️⃣st ODI Nitish Kumar Reddy makes his ODI debut. Updates ▶ #AUSvIND twitter/dWPlzUHqmu

- BCCI (@BCCI) October 19, 2025

In white-ball cricket this year, Kuldeep Yadav has picked 26 wickets, including two four-wicket hauls, at an average of 18.15 and an economy rate of 5.28 in 14 matches, continuing his impressive form and making his omission from the Perth playing XI a talking point among fans.

Why no Kuldeep Yadav? Fans Question

The fans and cricket enthusiasts were quite surprised by the omission of Kuldeep Yadav from India's playing XI, considering his consistent performances and match-winning abilities in both ODI and T20I formats this year.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), Indian cricket fans slammed Team India management for leaving out Kuldeep Yadav, questioning the team's strategy. Since India wanted to have depth in the batting with all-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar, prioritizing an extra all-round option over Kuldeep Yadav.

However, fans wanted Kuldeep's inclusion in the playing XI as he has been India's match-winner in white-ball cricket over the last few years. With Washington Sundar dismissed cheaply for just 10 runs, fans further questioned the decision to bench Kuldeep Yadav, arguing that India's bowling attack could have strengthened without compromising the team's balance.

WTF??????Kuldeep Yadav dropped from India's ODI XI to accomodate Gautam Gambhir's parchi Harshit Rana. How the hell can you drop your frontline wicket taker from XI for your KKR parchi? This is blatant abuse of power team keeps a leg spinner in XI. Zampa is playing!!

- Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) October 19, 2025

Very Surprising decision Kuldeep Yadav a bowler who picked 17 wickets in Asia Cup & give a heroic performance in champions trophy 2025.- He is not picked in the team for the 1st ODI vs Australia twitter/zpjNsoJSQW

- bhanu (@Bhanu_R780) October 19, 2025

Only Gambhir can make Washington Sundar play above Kuldeep Yadav in an ODI.

- Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) October 19, 2025

Washington Sundar chokes again of him Kuldeep Yadav is not playing of him Ravindra Jadeja is not in the team can not hit a ball nither he can defend properly still he always play?? Is he doing something some Gautam Gambhir. twitter/WaP2CWoUUZ

- Abhishek Kumar (@Abhishek060722) October 19, 2025

Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion makes absolutely no sense. He should have played irrespective of the conditions

- GUY (@tweetwalaguy) October 19, 2025

Irrespective of the problem, the team management has only one solution - Drop Kuldeep Yadav!The guy is in the best phase of his career and bowling like a champion across formats only to get dropped to accommodate anyone and everyone way they treat him is disgusting beyond...

- Amit T (@amittalwalkar) October 19, 2025

Kuldeep Yadav has been dropped Gambhir asshole strikes again.

- Srikrishna (@1998Srikrishna) October 19, 2025

- Kuldeep Yadav❌- Prasidh Krishna ❌- Harshit Rana ✅- Coach Gautam Gambhir is showing that a long as he is there, he will be playing his KKR Parchi he go, this is blatant misuse of power as India's Head Coach. Australia didn't dropped Adam Zampa, but GG dropped best wicket... twitter/yec6lxWAFH

- MANU. (@IMManu_18) October 19, 2025

Not having Kuldeep Yadav in XI and too many sub par all rounders are the mistakes which will cost us this series. Harshit rana is not going to give us runs at that number in an ODI, please get Kuldeep in. #BCCI @GautamGambhir

- Arun Sharma (@arunsha64649968) October 19, 2025

Parchit Can Give 10-15 Extra Runs With the Bat Sar Jokes Aside, I Have Never Watched this Guy do anything with the bat tbh. ( Kuldeep Yadav Bats Better than this ) I Mean if Just for the 10 Extra Runs With the Bat, Pick Akash Deep Instead twitter/QvX29nmFO5

- CRICitism (@CRICitism) October 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Team India posted 136/9, with KL Rahul top-scoring with 38, as rain interruptions reduced the match to 26 overs per side. The game was interrupted four times during India's innings, with overs cut from 50 to 49, then 32, and finally 26, forcing the batters to accelerate their scoring under added pressure.

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