India’s left-arm chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav was left out of the playing XI for the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Kuldeep is one of only three frontline spinners in the India squad for the series. However, despite India going ahead with two spinners, it was Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar who were selected in the playing XI, with Kuldeep being left out. A sensational stat surfaced on the internet after Kuldeep was left out, and it was related to India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel.

Since Kuldeep’s Test debut in March 2017, he has played the same number of Tests as India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel. Both players have played 13 Tests since Kuldeep’s debut.

The sensational bit about this is that Morkel is 10 years older than Kuldeep, and retired from Test cricket in 2018.

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep, who is now 30 years old, has played only 13 Tests despite his Test debut coming over eight years ago.

Morne Morkel

Morkel also played 13 Tests after Kuldeep’s debut, all within one year, before his retirement in 2018.

Jadeja and Ashwin

Kuldeep has had to watch from the sidelines for most of his career, with the spin-bowling spots dominated by Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin.

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar is seemingly preferred more by the new Indian management headed by Gautam Gambhir. Sundar’s batting ability plays a crucial role, as he averages over 40 with the bat in Test cricket.

Kuldeep has also suffered his fair share of injuries along the way, hindering his availability at times.