Kuldeep Yadav posted controversial photo at the behest of friends, got COVID-19 vaccine at hospital: Kanpur city magistrate
Kanpur city magistrate Himanshu Gupta has clarified that wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav got the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a private hospital, contrary to the viral picture of him taking the jab in a guest house lawn.
Mr. Gupta said on Wednesday that the controversial photo was just a social media gimmick.
Kuldeep Yadav got his vaccination on May 15 and posted a picture of himself getting an injection while sitting on a chair in a lawn. The 26-year-old also urged his followers to get the jab at the earliest in the fight against the pandemic.
However, the post immediately courted controversy as many fans questioned how Kuldeep Yadav got the injection in the unusual outdoor setting.
It was alleged the spinner was administered his vaccine at a place other than the hospital where he booked a slot.
A PTI report also stated that the photo was from the Kanpur Nagar Nigam guest house, adding that the spinner had booked a vaccination slot at Jageshwar Hospital in Govind Nagar. This prompted the administration to open an urgent probe into the matter.
Magistrate Gupta submitted his report on Wednesday in which he categorically mentioned that Kuldeep Yadav got the vaccine dose at Jagdeshwar hospital only.
The report also claimed Kuldeep Yadav's name was 136th on the official register for entries kept at the vaccination center.
Explaining the controversy, Gupta said the photo was a gimmick and Kuldeep Yadav uploaded it at the behest of his friends because it is the rage these days.
Kuldeep Yadav misses out on England tour
Coming to his cricketing career, Kuldeep Yadav has received a huge setback after getting dropped for the Test tour of England. The spinner was part of India's recent Test series against the same opposition, although he didn't play in most of those games.
Yadav also didn't feature in a single game in the first half of the IPL 2021 and is all but certain to sit out the T20 World Cup.
Hence, the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which will feature most of India's fringe players, will be critical for Kuldeep Yadav to try and win back his place in India's first XI.