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Kuldeep Yadav IND vs SL Test: India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has addressed the confusion surrounding Kuldeep Yadav’s absence from the playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka, insisting that the spinner was genuinely dealing with illness. Kuldeep was left out of India’s XI for the Colombo Test, with debutant off-spinner Saransh Jain taking his place. The decision had prompted questions after bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule suggested that Kuldeep’s absence from the nets for two consecutive days was linked to travel fatigue.

Kotak, however, offered a different explanation, stating that Kuldeep had been suffering from a viral fever after leaving Galle following the first Test.

Kotak Dismisses Questions Over Kuldeep’s Fitness

Speaking at the end of the day's play, Kotak made it clear that Kuldeep’s health was not being used as an excuse to leave him out of the side.

"I don't think that's a relevant question. If he is not fit, how will he think if he plays or not? When he left there, he was genuinely having viral,” he said in the post-day press conference.

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The batting coach also rejected any suggestion that India could have invented an illness to justify leaving Kuldeep out of the XI.

"If the team needs a spinner and then he doesn't play, there is no need to fake that he wasn't keeping well. When the guy is not in position to play, there is no point thinking about whether he would have been fit or not. It would be very unfair to think that way,"

Kotak's comments effectively clarified that Kuldeep was not considered fully available when India finalised their XI.

Why Did Saransh Jain Get The Nod?

While Kuldeep Yadav’s illness was a factor, the team also had a tactical reason for opting for Saransh.

Kotak explained that Kuldeep had recovered considerably from the viral infection, but his earlier condition meant he was unavailable for selection when the lineup was being decided.

India also had to consider Sri Lanka's batting combination, with several left-handed batters in the opposition lineup. That likely influenced the management's decision to hand Saransh, an off-spin bowling all-rounder, his Test debut as well.