Kuldeep In, Shardul Out: Experts Want Change In India's Playing XI For 2nd Test

News18

6 hours ago

Questions arose about his inclusion in the playing eleven ahead of a specialist bowler when he bowled only six overs in the first innings and ten in the second. While Shardul managed to pick up a couple of wickets on day five, his bowling lacked the necessary bite. Alongside Prasidh Krishna, he offered too many loose balls, lacking the consistency to challenge the opposition batters.
Despite India losing the game after controlling it for most of the five days, there is no need for alarm, but changes in the playing eleven for the Edgbaston Test are expected. Experts have called for Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion, and he is likely to replace Shardul, with the surface in Birmingham expected to favour spinners.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar told PTI, 'Kuldeep needs to be there. There is no point playing with four pacers. Either of Shardul or Prasidh can make way for him." There is a tendency to play with four pace options in England, but with dry conditions expected for much of the summer, playing Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja together is a possibility.
Jadeja will also be under scrutiny, having not extracted much from the rough on day five at Headingley. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said on JioStar, Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I'm sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out".
Manjrekar added, 'That is one change India will have to make. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy — I backed him for the first Test purely based on what he did in Australia.
'It's an unpopular choice, because when he comes in, the balance does get affected a bit. He won't quite bowl like a fourth seamer, so India need to take a hard call: even in English conditions, they must go with quality bowlers. If that means playing two spinners, so be it," he added.
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Following England's record chase of 371 at Headingley, Gambhir supported the captain's decision regarding Shardul's limited use. Gambhir explained, 'Sometimes captain goes with his instincts and Ravindra Jadeja gave us control in the first innings, that was important and we could rotate our three pacers at the other end.
'We know what is Shardul's quality and that is why he is playing for India and is in the dressing room. Just because he is the fourth seamer does not necessarily mean that he has to be brought ahead of a spinner. A captain went by his instinct and depending on surface, we were playing," said Gambhir.