“No Need To Fake Illness”: India Coach Makes Stunning Remark On Kuldeep Yadav

India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Sunday asserted that Kuldeep Yadav was benched from the second Test against Sri Lanka due viral fever, and there was no need for the management to “fake” an illness to leave out a player from the eleven. However, Kotak rather inadvertently countered bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, who attributed Kuldeep’s absence from the nets here for two days in a row to travel-related fatigue. “I don’t think that’s a relevant question (on Kuldeep’s fitness). If he is not fit, how will he think if he plays or not? When he left there (Galle), he was genuinely having viral (fever),” Kotak said in the post-day press conference.

The Saurashtra stalwart further clarified that Kuldeep indeed was in no position to be in consideration for selection.

“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,” he said.

However, Kotak said Kuldeep has progressed well from his illness, and his non-availability and the presence of left-handers’ presence in SL line-up prompted the management to hand debut to off-spinner Saransh Jain.

“He has recovered reasonably well. He looked good when I met him in the (today) evening and, obviously, he wasn’t available for the match (in the morning).

“So, when it comes to whether we go with three fast bowlers or three spinners and then having four left-handers in (SL) top order, probably it makes sense to play an off spinner,” he noted.

Rishabh Pant had to retire on three after getting pinged on his forearm by pacer Lahiru Kumara.

Kotak said the wicketkeeper batter looked good to resume on the second day of the match.

“I think he will be fine to continue tomorrow,” he said.

Kotak lauded Devdutt Padikkal after the top-order batter made his second successive hundred of this series — a 117 off 168 balls that led India to 300 for five at close on day one.

“He has made the most out of the opportunity. For me the intent he has shown, the temperament he has shown and the pace in which he batted as well matter a lot. He batted with a very good strike rate as well.

“So, the way he batted is really, really a good sign for us. He has been waiting for his turn for the last year and a half or maybe two years. I am so happy with the way he prepared, and made the most of that opportunity,” he added.

So has Padikkal sealed the No. 3 slot? Kotak left it hanging.

“Number three, obviously, he is batting well and he may continue at that number. But for me, that is not something that is very exciting — this number three, he has scored runs and that’s more important.” However, Kotak said he would have been even more delighted had India not lost five wickets on the day.

“It was a good toss to win and 300 for five is a good score. If you ask me personally, I would say 300 for three would have been better because three of our batters got set and then got out — 50, 45 and 43.

“If one of them got converted to 100, then we would have probably three or maximum four wickets down at the end of day. But sometimes it happens.

“Now it is the time for all-rounders and lower-order batsmen to contribute. If we play the first session well, I think we will reach a total which we feel is a good total,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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