India vs England First ODI 2026: Buttler Falls Early as Shastri Criticizes Kuldeep's Omission

Ravi Shastri publicly criticized India's decision to drop spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the first ODI against England, while Jos Buttler was dismissed early for just 5.

Ravi Shastri, India's former head coach and all-rounder, openly questioned the team management's choice to leave out specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the first ODI of India's three-match series against England in 2026, citing batting depth as the stated reason for the omission. Shastri's remarks — translating roughly as 'play him as many games as you can' — signal a notable public disagreement between a high-profile cricket figure and India's current team management over squad selection. On the field, England's Jos Buttler was dismissed cheaply for 5, with India seamer Gurnoor Brar taking the catch despite colliding mid-air with India captain Shubman Gill. Brar held on to complete the dismissal, giving India an early breakthrough in the contest. The first ODI is the opener of a three-match series between England and India. Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion is notable given his status as a specialist wrist spinner who has been a consistent performer in limited-overs cricket for India.

Why it matters

Selection decisions in high-profile India-England series attract wide scrutiny, and public criticism from a former head coach like Shastri adds pressure on the current management ahead of two remaining ODIs. Kuldeep's omission could affect India's bowling strategy if pitches suit spin.

What's next

Two more ODIs remain in the England vs India series, with Kuldeep Yadav's potential inclusion likely to be a key talking point ahead of the next fixture.

Key facts

• Jos Buttler was dismissed for 5 runs in the first ODI against India
• Gurnoor Brar took the catch to dismiss Buttler despite colliding with captain Shubman Gill
• Ravi Shastri publicly criticized India's team management for omitting Kuldeep Yadav
• Kuldeep Yadav was left out due to batting depth concerns, per team management
• The match is the first of a three-match ODI series between England and India in 2026
• Shastri's quoted remark translates to urging the management to play Kuldeep as much as possible

Bias & framing notes

Both sources are from the same outlet (Sportskeeda), limiting independent corroboration. The first source frames Shastri's remarks as 'slamming' management, which is editorially charged language. Neither source provides a response or elaboration from India's current team management beyond the batting depth justification, leaving their reasoning underrepresented.

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