Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has called for a tactical shake-up ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, advocating the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in place of Shardul Thakur. The suggestion comes in the wake of India’s five-wicket loss in the opening Test at Headingley, where the bowling unit—barring Jasprit Bumrah—struggled to contain England’s aggressive batting.
Why Kuldeep Over Shardul?
Gavaskar’s recommendation echoes a growing sentiment among cricket pundits, including Sanjay Manjrekar and Monty Panesar, who believe that spin could play a decisive role in Birmingham. Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, offers a unique attacking option, especially against England’s “Bazball” approach.
“Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out,” Manjrekar said, citing Thakur’s limited impact with both bat and ball.
Thakur’s Underwhelming Performance
In the Leeds Test, Thakur bowled just 16 overs across both innings, conceding 89 runs and taking two wickets. His batting returns—1 and 4—also failed to justify his selection as a seam-bowling all-rounder. Critics argue that if Thakur cannot deliver 15+ overs a day, his inclusion disrupts team balance.
Kuldeep’s X-Factor
Kuldeep has taken 56 wickets in 13 Tests at an impressive average of 22.16, including four five-wicket hauls. His ability to extract turn even on less responsive pitches makes him a potent threat. Former England spinner Monty Panesar noted that Edgbaston’s surface tends to assist spin and backed India to play two spinners—Jadeja and Kuldeep—to exploit the conditions.
India’s Bowling Dilemma
With Bumrah’s workload being managed and Mohammed Shami unavailable, India’s pace attack lacks depth. Experts suggest that quality spin could be the key to unsettling England’s batting lineup, especially after Ben Duckett’s match-winning 149 at Leeds exposed India’s lack of variation.
What’s Next?
The second Test begins on July 2 at Edgbaston, with India trailing 0–1 in the five-match series. All eyes will be on the team selection, as the management weighs experience, form, and conditions to bounce back in the series.
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