Why Arshdeep and Kuldeep not playing 2nd Test vs England?
India made some drastic changes to their playing XI for the second Test against England at Edgbaston, resting Jasprit Bumrah and going in with a side that prioritized batting depth over bowling strength. This meant left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav were dropped from the playing XI, even though they were in the squad. So let’s look at Why Arshdeep and Kuldeep not playing 2nd Test vs England?
Shubman Gill Explains India’s Tactical Shift
Captain Shubman Gill clarified that following India’s lower-order collapse during the first Test at Headingley, the team management emphasized bolstering the batting. Consequently, Washington Sundar, who is an all-rounder, was picked in place of Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep took Bumrah’s place in the pace attack. The addition of Nitish Kumar Reddy also strengthened the batting at the expense of bowling flexibility.
Gill conceded that the side was inclined to play Kuldeep, but eventually, there was a tilt in favor of having greater depth with the bat. That tactical call was made understanding the history of Edgbaston playing in favor of spin and visiting spinners averaging less than 30 at the ground.
Ex-Players Criticize India’s Bowling Choices
However, the decision was criticized by a number of ex-players and pundits. Sunil Gavaskar termed the exclusion of Kuldeep “baffling,” particularly considering his current form and capacity to pick wickets. Mohammad Kaif and Dinesh Karthik also expressed concern at excluding a bowler with the wicket-taking ability of Kuldeep. Greg Chappell and Monty Panesar, however, advocated for the inclusion of both Kuldeep and Arshdeep in order to counter England’s aggressive “Bazball” with variation.
Kuldeep, with 56 wickets in 12 Tests at an average of 22.16, was regarded as an asset by many, particularly in spin-friendly conditions. Arshdeep, with his left-arm angle, might have provided the speed attack a different dimension.
Ultimately, India’s decision reflected a conservative, batting-heavy approach, aiming to avoid another collapse rather than aggressively target 20 wickets. With the series still in balance, attention now turns to the third Test at Lord’s, where India may consider reintroducing either Kuldeep or Arshdeep based on conditions and match situation.
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