India’s former skipper Sourav Ganguly expressed his shock at the decision of the team management in not including Kuldeep Yadav in the XI for the second Test against England in Edgbaston. Even with a pitch that was likely to help spinners, Kuldeep was left on the bench while India made three changes to the line-up by including Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep in the place of Shardul Thakur, Sai Sudharsan, and Jasprit Bumrah.
“Not Playing Your Best Spinners,” Says Ganguly
On Sony Sports Network, Ganguly said he was surprised with the decision to leave out Kuldeep, particularly on a pitch that provided some turn. He wondered if India had chosen their best spinners for the game.
“I don’t know why India are leaving out their two most competent spinners,” said Ganguly. “On a surface where there’s all this talk of a bit of turn, to leave out Kuldeep is surprising. This was the ideal chance to make a difference with the ball.”
He also added his views on the fact that England opted to bat first, telling it might prove beneficial for India if they could compile a good score.
“England opting to bowl provides India with a good opportunity. If they score runs on the board, it will be in their advantage,” he further stated.
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“Bating Wasn’t the Problem,” Ganguly Points Out Selection Mistakes
Ganguly also noted that India’s batting hadn’t been an issue in the first Test, in which the team as a whole had racked up more than 830 runs in both innings combined. He contended that all attention should have been on enhancing the bowling attack and not the depth of batting.
You didn’t post 380 in two innings – you posted 830-plus. That’s quite enough,” he said. “So, if your top-order underperformed in patches, introducing Washington Sundar at seven or Nitish Reddy at eight isn’t going to alter that. Those weren’t the patches which were responsible for letting you down in the first Test. It was the bowling unit that had to be beefed up.
Ganguly’s comments reflect a growing sentiment that Kuldeep Yadav, who has shown excellent form in recent outings, deserved a place in the side – particularly given the pitch conditions and India’s need for wicket-taking options.
As the Test progresses, the decision to bench Kuldeep will be closely scrutinized, especially if India struggles to contain England’s batting on a surface tailor-made for spin.
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