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

Will Kuldeep Yadav Feature in the Second Test? Experts Weigh In

NEW DELHI: As India prepares for the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on July 2, the composition of the team is under intense scrutiny. Following their defeat in the first Test, key questions are being raised: Will Jasprit Bumrah play? What strategic changes will India implement? And crucially, will Kuldeep Yadav be included in the playing XI?

Kuldeep Yadav in action. Will his spin be key at Edgbaston?

The Indian team management has indicated that Bumrah’s participation will be limited to three of the five Tests to manage his workload and injury concerns. The specific matches he will play remain uncertain.

In the first Test at Leeds, while Bumrah claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings, he went wicketless in the second, bowling nearly 44 overs as England successfully chased down a target of 371.

Kuldeep Yadav’s absence from the first Test was a point of discussion. However, the recent loss has intensified the debate around his inclusion in the second Test, particularly with expectations that the Birmingham pitch will favor spin bowlers.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar emphasized the potential impact of including Kuldeep Yadav. "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 said on Star Sports.

Subramaniam Badrinath, another former India batter, suggested a more comprehensive change, advocating for the inclusion of both Kuldeep Yadav and pacer Arshdeep Singh for the Edgbaston Test.

"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 said.

The five-match Test series commenced with the first game at Headingley, Leeds, from June 20 to 24, where England won by five wickets. The series schedule is as follows:

• Second Test: Edgbaston, Birmingham (July 2-6)
• Third Test: Lord’s, London (July 10-14)
• Fourth Test: Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23-27)
• Fifth Test: Kennington Oval, London (July 31 – August 4)

This series is a part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.