Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of India, and Shubman Gill, the Test captain, were questioned by R Ashwin about their commitment to taking 20 wickets in the current Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Ravindra Jadeja came under fire for his failure to take use of the rough outside Ben Duckett’s off-stump in the second innings, while the Indian pacers, with the exception of Jasprit Bumrah, failed to take advantage of the circumstances in the first Test match at Headingley, Leeds.
The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test, which begins on Wednesday, July 2 in Edgbaston, Birmingham, has been demanded by numerous experts. Ashwin backed up this claim as well, saying that Kuldeep won’t allow the England tailenders to score as many runs as they did in the first Test. The 30-year-old, in the opinion of the former India off-spinner, has the capacity to win India two or three Test matches in the series.
“Gill and Gambhir’s commitment to taking 20 wickets is really called into question. We’ll see this test.
“Kuldeep gets a look-in if you are truly committed,” R Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel.
“Kuldeep Yadav must play. Kuldeep Yadav must play if the grass is sparse. Kuldeep must play, so feel free to drop whomever you wish. The England tail will also not score many runs if he plays. Because he would cause issues, Kuldeep would assist you in winning two or three Test matches in the series,” he continued.
Kuldeep Yadav hasn’t represented India in a Test match since October 2024. India chose to use Ravindra Jadeja as their only spin bowling option in the first Test, hence he was unable to make the starting XI. Kuldeep will, however, start at Edgbaston if indications from previous practice sessions are to be believed.
The fact that India has a terrible record in Test matches at Edgbaston should not be overlooked. England has faced the Indian side in eight Test matches since 1967. Seven of those games have been lost by the Asian powerhouses, and one ended in a draw. Shubman Gill and his team have the opportunity to make history by being the first Indian team to win a Test match at Edgbaston.
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