India vs England: Calls Grow for Kuldeep Yadav's Inclusion in Second Edgbaston Test as India Seeks Series Level

India Mulls Strategic Changes, Including Kuldeep Yadav, for Second Test Against England

As India prepares for the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting July 2, intense discussions surround potential changes to the lineup following their defeat in the first Test. Can India bounce back and level the series 1-1? The team management faces critical decisions regarding player selection and strategy.

A key question is whether Jasprit Bumrah will feature in the second Test. Due to workload management and his injury history, it's been stated that he will only participate in three of the five Tests. The specific matches, however, remain unclear. In the first Test at Leeds, Bumrah claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings but went wicketless in the second, bowling nearly 44 overs as England successfully chased down a target of 371.

The potential inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav has also become a major talking point. His exclusion from the first Test raised eyebrows, but the expectation that the Birmingham pitch will favor spinners has increased calls for his inclusion in the second Test.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar emphasized the potential impact of Yadav's wrist spin. “Kis tarah se hum Kuldeep Yadav ko team la sakte hain ["How can we bring Kuldeep Yadav into the team?]. 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 on Star Sports.

Subramaniam Badrinath, another former India batter, suggested that India should bring in both Kuldeep 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 explained.

The five-match Test series commenced at Headingley, Leeds, from June 20 to 24, where England emerged victorious by five wickets. Following the Edgbaston Test, the series will move to Lord’s, London (July 10-14), Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23-27), and conclude at the Kennington Oval, London (July 31-August 4). This series forms part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.