India vs England: Calls Mount for Kuldeep Yadav's Inclusion in Edgbaston Test Amid Strategic Reworking

India vs. England: Calls Grow for Kuldeep Yadav's Inclusion in Second Test

Following their defeat in the first Test against England, the Indian cricket team faces crucial decisions ahead of the second match at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting July 2. Can India bounce back and level the series? The composition of the playing XI is under intense scrutiny, with former cricketers suggesting strategic changes.

Kuldeep Yadav could be key for India at Edgbaston

One of the primary questions revolves around the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm wrist-spinner's exclusion from the first Test raised eyebrows, and now, with the Birmingham pitch expected to favor spinners, his inclusion is gaining momentum.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar emphasized the potential impact of Kuldeep. "The team will have to give some thought to how we can bring Kuldeep Yadav into the XI because, judging by the approach we saw from the England batters in the first Test, Kuldeep – who bowls wrist spin – could be effective. Historically, England’s batters haven’t played wrist spin particularly well. So that is definitely something worth considering," Bangar stated.

Another point of discussion is Jasprit Bumrah's workload management. The Indian team management has indicated that Bumrah will only participate in three of the five Tests, given his injury history. In the first Test at Leeds, Bumrah claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings but remained wicketless in the second, bowling a total of nearly 44 overs.

Subramaniam Badrinath, another former Indian batter, suggested a couple of changes for the Edgbaston Test, advocating for the inclusion of both Kuldeep Yadav and pacer Arshdeep Singh.

"I think one change could be replacing Shardul – I’d definitely look to include a bowler. And maybe instead of Prasidh Krishna, I’d look to add some variety. So probably, my changes would be Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav coming into the XI. But then again, the final XI will depend on the conditions," Badrinath commented.

The five-match Test series continues with the second Test at Edgbaston (July 2-6), followed by matches at Lord’s (July 10-14), Emirates Old Trafford (July 23-27), and The Oval (July 31-August 4). This series is a significant part of the World Test Championship cycle.