Gautam Gambhir finally reveals why he keeps benching Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir has finally opened up on constantly benching the star left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and the premier left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh.

Gautam Gambhir said that the toughest job for him as a coach is to select a perfect playing XI combination while keeping out the exceptionally talented players like Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav.

I think that's the toughest job I have - Gautam Gambhir

Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav are regarded as two of the best bowlers in world cricket, and they would easily make it to the playing XI of any team in the world across formats.

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However, the duo find it very hard to make it to the Indian playing XI and find themselves on the bench most of the time despite being part of the squad across all three formats.

Arshdeep Singh is the leading wicket-taker for India in T20I cricket, but he mostly warmed the bench in the Asia Cup 2025 as India used a spin-heavy strategy, with Jasprit Bumrah playing as a specialist pacer.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav was recently dropped from the T20I playing XI in Australia after a couple of games, and before that, he missed out on selection in the first two ODI matches against the Aussies. Kuldeep also features in the India Test playing XI only in home matches.

In a video shared on the BCCI.TV, Gautam Gambhir was bluntly asked about keeping Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav out of the playing XI. He replied:

"Look, that's probably the toughest part of me as a coach. I think that's the toughest job I have. That sometimes when I know that there is so much of quality sitting on the bench, and I know everyone deserves to be part of the Playing XI, but ultimately you can only pick XI thinking that which is the best combination to do the job on that particular day."

But for me, the most important thing is the conversation - Gautam Gambhir

The Indian head coach added that having proper communication with the players becomes very important when they are being benched because they are bound to get upset. He said:

"But for me, the most important thing is the conversation and the communication as well. The communication needs to be very clear, very honest. Sometimes, obviously, those are hard conversations and conversations to have.

"If you tell someone that he's not playing, this is probably the toughest conversation for a coach and a player as well because I know that the player would get upset when he deserves to be part of the Playing XI."

I think it has been a very transparent dressing room - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir further said that being totally transparent with the players becomes very crucial, and they also understand the reason behind being snubbed. He said:

"But if you're honest, if you're straightforward, if you know that what you're saying is saying it from a heart and there is nothing beyond that, so I feel that some players do understand that. And it's a communication between a player and a coach and I think it should stay till then rather than people making a lot of hue and cry and different theories about it.

"And that is something which I think this group and the support staff has done brilliantly because I think it has been a very transparent dressing room, it has been a very honest racing room and that is something how we want this dressing room to be like."

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