England vs India: Lack of trust in No 3 and wicket-keepers behind leaving out Kuldeep Yadav from playing XI
Unfortunately for Kuldeep, according to those in the know, it isn't his skill or talent that the decision-makers doubt. What keeps him out of the team is the unreliability of India's frontline batsmen – namely the No.3 and, surprisingly, also the wicket-keepers. At the start of the tour, it was Rishabh Pant and now it's his replacement Dhruv Jurel. And also the local conditions. More about how The Oval might not be ideal for Kuldeep later.
First the wicket-keepers. Pant has been an enigma for the cricketing world, and also for the team. When dealing with him, the Indian decision-makers stick to 'believe in God but lock your car' philosophy. He has been an asset to the team but not quite a steady stock – before this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
At one point, there was a school of thought that plans can't be formed around someone with the habit of leaping down the track in the first over he faces. And certainly not someone who has scored just one fifty in nine innings in Australia, India's last Test outing before the England tour.
It's not that those with correct strokes and conventional outlook towards scoring runs don't have bad patches. They also fail but it's human to trust a textbook cricketer playing in a time-tested manner. If a mathematician has to describe the Indian batting line-up, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill will be constants and batsmen like Pant the variables.
On this tour, Pant was becoming one of the constants. In his seven innings here, he has two 100s and three 50s. But just when the team management was getting used to the runs coming from down the order, India's most comfortable-looking batsman on the tour was hit on the foot by a full ball – the fracture ruling him out of the remainder of the series.
In Pant's place comes Jurel, who has played just one Test outside India. His outing at Perth wasn't too long.
The other Virat Kohli-sized hole in the middle order is at the No.3 spot where Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair haven't yet given confidence to the team management. They have been given chances but have shown a tendency to get out to innocuous balls and not score in crunch situations. They don't seem to be putting a high price on their wicket.
In case India had a settled No.3 and a wicket-keeper playing percentage cricket, Kuldeep would have been a sure-shot selection in most Tests in England. That hasn't happened so India faces the old question again: Should they go with the specialist left-arm wrist-spinner or stick to pace all-rounder Shardul Thakur?
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, like many other Team India coaches who have faced the media, explained the complexity of the Kuldeep call. He was asked a pertinent question about playing four specialist bowlers from 8 to 11 – in other words Kuldeep and three pure pacers.
Kotak took his time to say that 'scoring 550 to 600 runs is as important as taking 20 wickets' and it was by scoring runs that they won their only Test of this series at Edgbaston.
'Once you play with five bowlers, everyone has to bowl well. In case you play with six bowlers, one of them can be under-bowled. And if that bowler is an all-rounder, you know he will also contribute in batting. But if he happens to be a pure bowler … when you look back at the game, you will think that instead of an extra bowler, if we had a batsman…' he explained the quandary.
Kotak indicated that it's always easy to be wise after a game. Before it, the only thing the team management can do is think of playing a balanced side. But he still didn't rule out Kuldeep. 'That also depends on the wicket and what we feel about it .. the captain and coach will take a look at the pitch and decide who they will play.'
Now to the pitch and the question of adding Kuldeep to the spin department that has un-droppable all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Can India play three spinners at The Oval?
Historically, the venue helps spinners but this time around, the domestic games here have seen teams scoring in the range of 250-300 with pacers doing most of the damage. This is clear from the new addition to the England squad – homeboy Jamie Overton.
With offie Shoaib Basher injured and Liam Dawson not really effective at Manchester, England will focus on their quicks. Overton joins Gus Atkinson, another Surrey boy, who know his way around The Oval.
Does that mean India will play Jasprit Bumrah? That looks unlikely but can't be ruled out. If the World No.1 bowler sits out, India in all likelihood will play Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and, finally, Arshdeep Singh.
Is it worth burdening Bumrah with extra workload? It was something that coach Gautam Gambhir, at one point on this tour, was dead against. But then India's only win on this tour came when Bumrah wasn't in the XI. And has he become less impactful with the new ball and gotten slower as the series has progressed? At The Oval, India need to bring out stone, paper and those sharp scissors.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
15 minutes ago
- India.com
So Many Little Things...: Brendon McCullum Makes Honest Admission After Englands Loss Against India In Oval Test
Brendon McCullum admitted there was 'room to improve' as he reflected on England's gripping 2-2 Test series draw against India and turned his sights towards sharpening the squad ahead of the Ashes later this year. The England head coach, speaking after a dramatic six-run defeat at The Oval that saw India level the series on the final day, praised his team's fight while acknowledging the narrow margins that denied them their first series win over India since 2018. In a breathtaking finish to the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India completed a comeback from 2-1 down, snatching victory in just 56 minutes on the 25th morning—marking their narrowest ever win by runs in Test cricket. England's pursuit of a 374-run target unravelled from a dominant 301/3 to a dismal 367 all out, losing 7 wickets for just 66 runs in a collapse that ultimately cost them the series. 'We'll let this one sit, we'll digest it,' McCullum was quoted by ESPNCricinfo as saying. 'We'll be able to pick out what has gone well, then start to work out how we can keep improving so, when we do arrive out in Australia, we give ourselves a huge chance.' The former New Zealand captain stressed that England's journey under his and Ben Stokes' leadership is still very much a work in progress. With no Test matches until the Ashes opener in Perth this November, McCullum now has time to assess the highs and lows of a compelling summer. 'We're in the middle now, halfway through what we knew was going to be an unbelievable 12 months of Test cricket. We know we've got some room to improve,' he said. 'You're always learning any time you get to see guys having to dig deep and go to places they've maybe not been before. There's a lot to pick out as we give ourselves time for this to digest and work out areas we can look to improve for our next challenge.' England's fielding, particularly in the fifth Test, came under scrutiny. They dropped six catches during India's second innings of 396, mistakes that McCullum admitted proved costly. 'We didn't catch very well in this game, but have caught really well over the last few years,' he conceded. 'Sometimes dropped catches happen, and one leads to another. If we had held our catches, maybe we would have been standing on the other side of the result. That's life, there are so many little things in the game we could pick out and have huge impacts. We are a good fielding unit and had a bit of an average performance in this Test.' Despite the disappointment of missing out on a series win, McCullum was full of praise for his players' commitment and India's resilience, especially that of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. 'Ultimately, I'm really proud of the guys and their efforts,' he said. 'It's been a combative series; it's taken its toll with injuries, and some of the best players have gone home injured. To sit here at 2-2, yes, you're disappointed, but you're proud of the efforts. 'The way India were late on in this Test, Mohammed Siraj has the absolute heart of a lion to bowl 90mph in his 30th over of his fifth Test match. It's quite an incredible effort.' McCullum admitted England had opportunities to close out the series but was reluctant to dwell on them, instead crediting India for seizing the crucial moments. 'We threw everything at them. It was a testament to how stoic they are as a team. We knew when they turned up in England, it would be a very stern challenge and we'd have to play excellent cricket to get the result we wanted. 'Ultimately, I thought it was an absolutely unbelievable series to be part of. It had confrontation, it had stalemates, it had passion, and it had some sub-par performances under pressure as well. 'As much as we got ourselves in a winning position this Test match, I feel like they deserved to win. They played better cricket,' he added.
The Hindu
15 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India's here-and-now man Siraj ushers in the future
It is unlikely that Indian television will devise a 'Sirajcam', but it should. Since the retirement of Virat Kohli (and the so-called 'Kohlicam', seemingly focused exclusively on him), it is Siraj's face that screens in real time all the emotions he and his team go through. There is sorrow and joy, disappointment and anticipation, humour and anger (England players called him Mr. Angry), and sometimes a combination. Watching him you know exactly how the team is doing. His shoulders never drop, he seldom cuts his speed, doesn't believe in saving it for the future. He is Indian cricket's here-and-now man, focused intensely on the present. Yet even he didn't register immediately the enormity of what he had done when, with a yorker his hero Jasprit Bumrah would have been proud of, he flattened Gus Atkinson's off stump. For a split second the screen that was his face went blank before shock, disbelief, ecstasy chased each other across it. Then his expressive hands came into play, hands raised in thanksgiving, and signalling redemption at the Oval after he had messed up a catch the previous day. In a series dominated by batting, his 23 wickets might have seen Siraj finish as the Player of the Series, but he will not cavil at the final choice, his captain Shubhman Gill. After all, Gill had been responsible for India's win at Edgbaston following the loss at Leeds, and had led the fight that culminated in a draw at Old Trafford to keep the series alive. Asked what he had learnt as captain, Gill articulated what might well be the team's motto: 'We never give up'. Gill has deservedly slipped into the slot occupied by Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar before him. The team is a productive mix of the established and the newbies who look up to the new captain. India return a better team than the one that landed in England, and you can't ask for more. Ironically, India won twice without Bumrah's presence. His absence seems to motivate Siraj more. He enjoys the responsibility of being the lead fast bowler. Seven wickets in Birmingham and nine at the Oval, 16 wickets in India's wins. Few supporting acts slide into the main role so easily. From Lord's to the Oval 🏟️ The power of belief 💪 A dramatic turnaround by Mohd. Siraj that inspired the change in emotions and result 🙌#TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @ — BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025 Has there been a more thrilling five-Test series involving India? Both teams must contribute to the excitement, of course, and England did so in equal measure, Bazballing to the end, staying with their philosophy, keeping at it come rain or sunshine or Mohammed Siraj. The dismissals of Harry Brook in the first innings and Jamie Smith in the second might have caused comment in other teams. But this is England. This is what they do. Ben Stokes, the on-field instigator of bright, entertaining cricket may have been a spectator here, but stand-in skipper Ollie Pope, despite personal failures, went with the programme. It's been a series of incredible cricket. One swing of the bat might have tied the final Test. As Siraj began his 31st over, the 86th of the innings, any of four results (although the draw might have needed the help of rain) was still possible. The odds on England making it 3-1 had receded somewhat, but someone still needed to take the final wicket. Preferably one where the DRS was not involved! Siraj made sure of both. There is time enough to discuss things that could have been better. Things that could have been avoided. From Gautam Gambhir's outburst and classist remarks to the rethink on Bumrah; from team selection to gaps yet to be filled. It has to be celebration time now, a 2-2 finish a fair one. India did win most of the sessions of play overall even if they didn't quite win some key moments. None of that matters now. For a team in transition to draw a series in England is remarkable. It came down to one man taking three wickets on the final morning. Siraj has explained how he googled the Cristiano Ronaldo emoji with 'Believe' (Ronaldo is with his arm raised and forefinger up rather like Siraj when he appeals for a wicket) to inspire him. Next time Ronaldo feels low, he can google Mohammed Siraj who believed. And triumphed.
Economic Times
19 minutes ago
- Economic Times
A young Indian team travelled to England light but returned heavy with wins, lessons & a captain for the future
The irony is palpable. When India embarked on their tour of England without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin — three of their modern giants — with the news that Jasprit Bumrah would play only three of the five Tests and with Shubman Gill leading the Test team for the first time, expectations were suitably lowered. When a team is in transition — and it is fair to say that, save for Mohammad Siraj, the fastbowling unit lacked experience — a steep learning curve is to be expected. Add to the mix B Sai Sudarshan, Karun Nair, Washington Sundar and Dhruv Jurel, who had little to no Test experience, and a five-Test series away in England quickly became a daunting assignment. So much so that an advert did the rounds to catch the eye: 'Team India seekhne nahi, sikhane jaa rahi hai.' And so it panned out. This team was not there to learn, but to school the sceptics on what was about Gill the captain, of whom little was known beyond his white-ball exploits, there were enough questions around Gill the batsman. After all, an average in the low 30s was not something he could be proud of after being given the run he had. The talent and ability were clearly there, and the selectors were sitting on Gill for the long haul. Gill delivered in style. For some players, added responsibility comes with an opportunity to be themselves, to express themselves more fully. As Gill scored his (and the team's) runs, he ensured that he had the authority he needed to get the most out of his band of men. Tactically, Gill was far from perfect. There were times when he let the game drift, and his tendency to rely heavily on the quick bowlers, conditions notwithstanding, meant that the class of Ravindra Jadeja sometimes went underutilised with the ball. Gill was neither Kohli-aggressive nor Rohit-relaxed. He was his own man, being different things at different times. It's early days, but on the evidence so far, India won't be looking for another all-format captain for a very long time to home, Jadeja has been the answer to all of India's balance questions. He runs through opposition batting when there is assistance, can keep one end bottled up if his captain needs control, and contribute properly with the bat lower down the order. But, overseas, there was the nagging feeling that his bowling could be blunted by conditions and his batting wouldn't stand up consistently enough. With a hundred and five half-centuries, Jadeja laid to rest any doubts about his place in the scheme of things. He may be getting along in years, but he has never been more valuable to the Test set-up than there are selections that buck conventional wisdom, the question of who had the final say arises. Gautam Gambhir, the coach, is a strong-willed character, and while it did appear as though Gill was given a free hand on the field, there was the suggestion that Gambhir imposed himself on the selection of the playing eleven. Had the result gone another way, on the back of a string of losses, these doubts would've grown louder. But, with India winning two Tests by picking teams that seemed to defy both playing to strengths or an all-out push for 20 wickets, it became clear that the coach's belief in his squad's depth and ability to compete at the highest level was spot on. Gambhir will know that it won't always be so. And fans will still be left asking how India went five Tests without giving Kuldeep Yadav a look there was one chink that was woefully exposed in England, it was the challenge that has dogged India for the longest time. With Nitish Kumar Reddy injured, there was no other batsman capable of contributing 12- 15 overs of seam up in an innings. India have backups for most roles, but when it comes to seamers who can bat, or batsmen who can allow the primary fast bowlers a breather, the cupboard is as bare as ever. This meant bolstering the lower order with Shardul Thakur, something that did not pay off even on paper, given how little he was used with the ball. Going forward, Gill, with help from the coaching staff, will have to identify either a player or two who can fit the bill, or three different combinations that allow them to stay in the hunt for 20 wickets without leaving the tail an exceptionally long one
