Kumble believes Kuldeep is in his bowling prime and has plenty of cricket left to offer.
Highlighting the bowling attack, Kumble specifically pointed out the absence of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. He argued that it is highly unfair to drop a proven, World Cup-winning player purely based on just one poor IPL season.
"Kuldeep Yadav certainly didn't have a great season in the IPL, but he is a champion bowler. He should have been a part of the squad for this England tour. He was part of the side that won the T20 World Cup, and now he is not part of the squad here in England, nor the team going to Zimbabwe. So yes, it means they have moved on from Kuldeep after just one poor IPL season.
“I certainly feel that when you pick players, you need to keep backing them. Ups and downs are part and parcel of life. They keep happening, but that doesn't mean failures end up with you getting dropped from the squad,” Kumble said on JioHotstar's 'Match Centre Live.
According to Kumble, the 31-year-old Kuldeep is in his bowling prime and has plenty of cricket left to offer. He urged the team management to back their premier bowlers and show more consistency in selection.
“I think it's important to also say, okay, who are your main bowlers and who are your bowlers who have done well? It's not like Kuldeep is 38 years old, and you are looking to bring in the next youngster. He is 31, has a lot of cricket to offer, and he doesn't play all three formats regularly. He doesn't play much Test cricket, so it's not like he is burdened and needs to be rested. He needs to play," Kumble added.
Coming to the third T20I, the Men in Blue crumbled entirely and were bundled out for a meager 76 runs in just 11.4 overs while chasing an imposing target of 202. This stands as India's heaviest run-margin loss in T20I history.
The Nottingham debacle also marked the first instance of India failing to win any of their last five T20I encounters. The reigning T20 world champions trail 0-2 in the five-T20I series against England and face a must-win situation in the next T20I at Bristol on Thursday (July 9) to keep the series alive.