The Indian cricket team’s five-wicket loss to England in the first Test at Headingley has sparked discussions about potential changes to the playing XI for the upcoming match. Poor bowling and fielding were identified as key factors in the defeat. Head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the bowlers, noting the limited experience of most, excluding Bumrah and Siraj, and expressing confidence in their future development.
Gambhir also supported Shardul Thakur, whose bowling was limited in the match. Shardul, playing his first Test since December 2023, was underutilized as a fast bowler and contributed minimally with the bat. Questions arose regarding his selection over a specialist bowler, despite picking up two wickets on the final day. His bowling lacked the required sharpness, failing to put pressure on the England batsmen.
Dilip Vengsarkar, a former Indian captain, suggested Kuldeep Yadav should be added to the team, potentially replacing Shardul or Prasidh Krishna. Sanjay Manjrekar supported this view, advocating for Kuldeep’s inclusion and Shardul’s exclusion. Manjrekar believes this change is necessary, potentially decreasing the number of fast bowlers to accommodate Kuldeep in the playing eleven. Gambhir, when queried about Shardul’s limited use, defended the captain’s strategy, highlighting Jadeja’s role in controlling the run rate, which allowed the use of three fast bowlers. He emphasized that the captain’s decisions are based on the pitch conditions.