The third match of the ongoing five-match T20 series between India and Australia is being played at the Bellerive Oval.
The Indian team won the toss and decided to bowl first, but their three major changes shocked fans. Sanju Samson and Harshit Rana were dropped, giving Jitesh Sharma and Arshdeep Singh a chance.
But the biggest anger was the benching of Kuldeep Yadav. He is a wicket-taking wrist spinner, yet he was dropped in favor of Washington Sundar.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav said at the toss, “We will bowl first, the bat will perform well in the second innings.
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Let’s take each match one by one. Jitesh, Arshdeep, and Washington are coming.” But fans did not like this.
Social media has been in an uproar. One fan wrote, “Gautam Gambhir, you are a total idiot! You are treating Kuldeep like a pet.”
Another said, “Ignoring Kuldeep is wrong. Washington’s batting has weakened the spin attack.”
Why are fans angry?
People fear that this experiment by coach Gambhir could ruin the series. These changes came after the batting collapse in the second T20 in Melbourne.
Kuldeep had performed brilliantly in the previous matches, taking wickets, yet he was still out. One tweet read,
“Shameful! Dropped Sanju, pampered Gill, and Kuldeep got a raw deal.”
Many people are furious with Gambhir, saying that selection is based on vibes, not performance.
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Australia also made a change, but the focus is on India. This feels like a test match in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
Fans are asking, “When will Kuldeep return? Will this gamble backfire?”
One user wrote, “India’s playing XI: Surya as captain, Jitesh as wicketkeeper, Washington in, Kuldeep out. Fresh faces, but where’s the fire?”
There’s also debate about Harshit Rana’s exclusion, but Kuldeep’s case is the hottest.
The team management hopes Washington’s batting depth will help. The match is ongoing, and if Australia scores a big total, people’s anger will only intensify.
Sidelining a player like Kuldeep like this is like the Hobart Horror. Cricket lovers are waiting to see what the next twist will be.
