In a defensive reaction to their lower-order collapses during the Leeds Test loss to England last week, India are expected to play three all-rounders to beef up the batting at the expensve of specialist bowlers. Former India opener Aakash Chopra has said that the all-rounder obsession for Team India, especially in a match where they are likely to go ahead without Jasprit Bumrah, who could be rested for workload management.
The Indian Express had reported that India are likely to exclude Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur to bring all-rounders Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Meanwhile, Akash Deep is set to replace Bumrah for the Test, beginning in Birmingham on Wednesday.
“As per reports from Edgbaston, only two fast bowlers will play, who will be Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj. Two spinners will play, in which Ravindra Jadeja is confirmed, and there are extremely bright chances of Washington Sundar playing, and Nitish Kumar Reddy can play in place of Shardul Thakur, which means Nitish at No. 7, Jadeja at No. 8, and it could be possibly Washington at No. 9,” Chopra said.
‘Barking up the wrong tree’
Chopra added that India’s approach to Test cricket will be heading in the wrong direction if they prefer their spin-bowling all-rounder Washington, over the left-arm wrist-spin angle that Kuldeep Yadav provides.
“Is it a good thought process? I concur slightly less with it. I feel you should play Kuldeep Yadav, and if you are still unable to play Kuldeep Yadav, it will be an absolute travesty. If we are going towards Washi, and just with the thinking that who bats better, then we are just barking at the wrong tree,” he added.
“We might take 20 wickets and win the match, but we won’t do right in terms of philosophy. If we are still unable to show the courage to play Kuldeep, then this team is going in a slightly different direction, which is perhaps not the right direction. We got burnt in BGT (in Australia),” he said.
Kuldeep was considered a sure-shot option for India, especially in the Tests that Bumrah won’t play, due to his attacking prowess and England’s relatively poor record against wrist-spinners. The Bazballers have averaged only 30.50 against the leg-spinners since 2022, with Kuldeep snapping up 19 wickets at a strike rate of 36.
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Former India off-spinner R Ashwin also stated that the upcoming Test would reveal if captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir are really committed to pick 20 wickets to win a Test.
“There is a serious question of Gambhir and Gill’s commitment to take 210 wickets. This Test will show us. If you are seriously committed, Kuldeep gets a look-in,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“Kuldeep Yadav has to play. If there is not much grass, Kuldeep has to play. Drop anyone you want, but Kuldeep has to play. If he does play, the England tail also won’t score much runs. Kuldeep would help you win 2-3 Tests in the series as he would create problems.”
