India's spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal used to be a regular feature in the playing eleven until the 2019 ICC World Cup. They last played together in June 2019 in a league match against England in the major ICC tournament.

Chahal had conceded 88 runs in his 10 overs quota, while Kuldeep was hit for 72 runs for a wicket. The pair, famously known as 'KulCha', don't get to play together in the limited-overs cricket now. 

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Speaking in an interview with Sports Tak, Chahal answered why Kuldeep and he do not get to play together now. He said the team's combination matters more than the duo playing together. The leggie further added that the return of Ravindra Jadeja, a spin-bowling all-rounder, in the limited-overs squad meant one of them had to go.

"When Kuldeep Yadav and I used to play, Hardik Pandya was also there and he would bowl. In 2018 Hardik Pandya got injured and Ravindra Jadeja made a comeback (in white-ball cricket) as an all-rounder, the one who could also bat at number 7. Unfortunately, he is a spinner, we could have played together if he was a medium pacer. It was the demand of the team.

"Kuldeep and I played 50-50 matches in any series. Sometimes he would play 3 matches of 5 matches of a series, sometimes I would get the chance. The team combination is needed, 11 players make a team and 'Kulcha' was not making it. We were there till Hardik was there, we were also given chances. The need of the team was to have an all-rounder at No. 7 position. I am happy even if I am not playing but the team is winning," Chahal said.

Kuldeep now finds it hard to make it into the playing eleven even as a lone spinner, while Chahal remains in top contention for the white-ball cricket. 

(With Sports Tak Inputs)