Kuldeep Yadav’s mysterious absence: Was viral illness used as cover for him being dropped from India’s Test XI vs Sri Lanka? originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Kuldeep Yadav missed the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo due to a reported viral illness.
- BCCI’s explanations for his absence shifted across three days in the build-up.
- India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak called it “not a relevant question” when asked if a fit Kuldeep would have played.
Was viral illness used as cover for Kuldeep Yadav being dropped from India’s Test XI vs Sri Lanka?
Kuldeep Yadav’s omission from India’s XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka had been widely predicted long before the toss, with his figures of 1 for 103 in Galle inviting scrutiny. What was not anticipated was the confusion surrounding the official reason for his absence.
The wrist-spinner was left out at the Sinhalese Sports Club, with 33-year-old Saransh Jain handed a debut in his place. Captain Shubman Gill first revealed at the toss that Kuldeep was unwell, and the BCCI followed with a formal statement confirming the same.
“Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness. He was unavailable for selection in the playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required,” the board said.
UPDATE: Mr Kuldeep Yadav has not fully recovered from his viral illness.
He was unavailable for selection in the Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka.
However, he can take the field as a concussion substitute, if required. #TeamIndia | #SLvIND
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 23, 2026
That explanation, however, sat awkwardly against what the team had been saying over the preceding 72 hours, and the discrepancies have prompted questions about whether illness was the whole story.
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The shifting timeline around Kuldeep Yadav’s absence
According to a report by The Times of India, the messaging from the India camp changed markedly across three days in Colombo. When Kuldeep and KL Rahul missed the squad’s first practice session on August 21, spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule was asked specifically about them and said there was no injury concern, adding that they were simply resting.
Kuldeep was again absent from the nets on August 22. It was only on August 23 that the word ‘infection’ entered the conversation, with the fuller account of a viral illness and a throat problem dating back to Galle emerging that evening.
Mysterious case of Kuldeep Yadav
August 21: “No injury concern, he is resting”
August 22: Not in nets
August 23: “Has infection”
August 23 evening: “Had viral, throat issue from Galle”Enjoying this article? Support our work with a small crypto donation.100% fit KD would have played? “Not a relevant question”https://t.co/xnwsR5iE4O
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) August 23, 2026
Throughout, Kuldeep travelled with the squad and was spotted in the dugout alongside Sarfaraz Khan. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak was subsequently asked whether a fully fit Kuldeep would have played and paused before offering a notably guarded response.
“I don’t think this is a relevant question,” Kotak said. He then defended the account, adding, “He genuinely had a viral when he left from there. If the team needs an off-spinner, there is no need to say that he isn’t well. If the guy is in no position to play, there is no point thinking about what would have been done if he had been fit. It’s unfair to think like that.”
Kotak also framed the selection in tactical terms, explaining the thinking behind Jain’s inclusion. “When we left, only his throat wasn’t well. He has recovered reasonably well. He looked good when I met him in the evening,” he said. “So it came down to whether we need three fast bowlers or three spinners. And with them having four left-handers in the top order, it made sense to play an off-spinner.”
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Why Kotak’s own answer muddies the illness explanation
The difficulty for India is that the two halves of Kotak’s response do not sit comfortably together. He states that Kuldeep has recovered reasonably well and looked good the previous evening, then immediately describes the selection as a straight tactical choice between an extra seamer and an off-spinner against a left-hander-heavy Sri Lankan top order.
If the decision genuinely came down to combinations, then Kuldeep’s health was not the deciding factor, which is precisely what the question Kotak declined to answer was probing. Equally, if he was too unwell to play, the earlier line about resting looks like an unnecessary obfuscation.
The likeliest explanation is a mundane one, that Kuldeep was genuinely unwell to some degree and that the illness conveniently spared the management from confirming a drop that was already coming.
Ravichandran Ashwin was among those who described the omission as expected, and Kris Srikkanth had predicted it days earlier. India would arguably have been better served simply saying so, because a straightforward selection call has now become a story about credibility instead.
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