India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak refused to speculate about whether Kuldeep Yadav would have played the Colombo Test had he been fully fit.
Kuldeep missed the second Test against Sri Lanka after failing to recover from a viral illness. India captain Shubman Gill confirmed at the toss that the left-arm wrist-spinner was dealing with an infection, while the BCCI later ruled him unavailable for selection. The board said he could still be used as a concussion substitute if necessary.
Asked whether a fit Kuldeep would have been selected, Kotak dismissed the question.
“I don’t think this is a relevant question. When he wasn’t well, there is no point thinking and talking about this.”
Kuldeep’s absence has nevertheless attracted attention following a quiet outing in the first Test in Galle. He bowled 25 overs and took only one wicket, while Ravindra Jadeja and Manav Suthar carried much of India’s spin workload in their 165-run victory.
Kuldeep did make a small contribution with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 13 as India posted 462 in the first innings. Devdutt Padikkal scored 167, while Rishabh Pant made 39. India then dismissed Sri Lanka for 284 and 206, with Suthar taking 10 wickets and Jadeja also making a significant impact.
INDIA START STRONGLY IN COLOMBO
India again made a strong start in Colombo after choosing to bat first. They finished Day 1 on 300/5, with Padikkal producing another century, scoring 117 for his second consecutive Test hundred.
With Kuldeep unavailable, Saransh Jain made his Test debut and joined Jadeja and Suthar in India's spin attack.
India therefore head into the next phase of the Colombo Test from a strong position, with plenty of batting depth still available and Sri Lanka under pressure. The key tactical question now is how India use their three spinners once they eventually get the opportunity to bowl.
