Should Kuldeep Yadav Replace Shardul Thakur for the Second Test?

New Delhi, June 25 (NationPress) Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar suggests that it's the right moment for the visitors to field Kuldeep Yadav instead of Shardul Thakur in the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Edgbaston, commencing on July 2. He argues that the current hot weather in England creates perfect conditions for deploying two spinners.

Kuldeep has claimed 56 wickets across 13 Tests with an impressive average of 22.16, but he was not selected for the first Test in Leeds, where England successfully chased down 371 to defeat India by five wickets.

"I believe Kuldeep Yadav must be reinstated. Unfortunately, that means Shardul Thakur has to be left out. This is a necessary adjustment India must make. Regarding Nitish Kumar Reddy, I supported him for the first Test based solely on his performance in Australia. It's a controversial decision, as his inclusion slightly disrupts team balance.

"He won't bowl like a fourth seamer, necessitating India to make a tough decision: even in English conditions, they should prioritize quality bowlers. If that entails using two spinners, so be it. Select your finest bowlers, independent of conditions. Given the absence of Mohammed Shami and a full-strength pace attack, I would opt for one less seamer and include Kuldeep Yadav in the XI. He must play," stated Manjrekar on JioHotstar.

In Leeds, Thakur bowled only 16 overs, securing two wickets, and did not make a significant impact with the bat. “It's important to note that English summers have become predominantly dry—possibly due to global warming—opening avenues for spin. It's time to reconsider India's approach to utilizing spin in England. Ben Stokes has already transformed the narrative with sensible, aggressive play.

"India needs to adopt the same clarity. There was a time when India would deploy three spinners regardless of the location—be it New Zealand or England. If Kuldeep is part of your squad, play him. Don’t rely solely on seamers just because you're in England. I would replace one seamer with Kuldeep Yadav,” Manjrekar added.

The former Indian batsman also criticized Ravindra Jadeja, believing that the seasoned left-arm spin all-rounder failed to exploit the rough patches in Leeds. Despite achieving some turn and bounce, Jadeja’s figures were unimpressive at 0-68 and 1-104 in both innings.

"It’s unjust to be overly critical of younger talents like Prasidh Krishna—there are evident areas for growth. However, I will critique Ravindra Jadeja. This was a final-day pitch with rough areas for him to take advantage of. Although he had a few chances, we need to expect more from a player of his caliber.

"These weren't typical English conditions where the pitch offers nothing. I felt he didn’t utilize the rough as effectively as he could have—especially against Ben Duckett. While he made an effort against Ben Stokes, it was only later in Duckett’s innings that Jadeja began to use the rough properly.

"When facing experienced bowlers and seasoned batsmen, a higher level of tactical awareness is expected. I found Jadeja's performance disappointing. The seamers received no assistance from the pitch; however, Jadeja had some favorable conditions to work with," concluded Manjrekar.