Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion from the Indian team for the second Test against Bangladesh after his previous performance was questioned by Harbhajan Singh.
Kuldeep, who made a return to Test cricket after 22 months, took a match haul of eight wickets including a career-best 5/40, and scored 40 crucial runs only to be dropped for the ongoing second game in Mirpur to accommodate Saurashtra seamer Jaydev Unadkat in the playing eleven.
Harbhajan, one of India's greatest spinners, was completely baffled by the call to drop Kuldeep.
"I think from now on, Kuldeep should stop taking five-wicket hauls. Who knows that he might just get to play two Test matches in a row!" a sarcastic Harbhajan told PTI.
"Like last time when he got a five-for, before Chattogram Test, was against Australia in Sydney (5/99) in different conditions. He was supposed to be India's No. 1 spinner in overseas conditions but he had to wait for more than two years to play a Test.
"Now he played after nearly two years again and has been dropped again. Would love to know the rationale," said Harbhajan, one of the four Indian bowlers to have taken 400-plus wickets.
The 'Turbanator' also felt that "security" has just become a word in Indian cricket and no one is walking the talk.
"I don't want to name any player but some of the players in the Test set-up got a long rope, up to five years. In the case of Kuldeep, it seems that the duration of his security is five days.
"How does one feel safe if he gets dropped after taking eight wickets? Can he play fearless cricket when all that the team management has done is instill fear in him?" questioned Harbhajan.
Harbhajan said while he would agree that Bangladesh aren't the most formidable side in the Test format but a performer being benched is likely to send a wrong message among youngsters.
"You can never perform if there is a sword hanging over your head. I only hope that Kuldeep doesn't lose confidence because of this as he is someone who should be serving India for another good 8-10 years," he added.
