Sanjay Manjrekar wants Team India to make one big change in playing XI for 2nd Test

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wants Team India, led by Shubman Gill, to bring in Kuldeep Yadav in place of bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur for the second Test, scheduled to start at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday, July 2.

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With the batting all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy not able to fulfill the fourth seamer’s place, Manjrekar feels it would be wise for Team India to take a hard call and go with two spin options - Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the XI.

“I think Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out. That is one change India will have to make. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy — I backed him for the first Test purely based on what he did in Australia,” Sanjay Manjrekar told ‘Match Centre Live’ on JioHotstar.

“It’s an unpopular choice, because when he (Nitish) comes in, the balance does get affected a bit. He won’t quite bowl like a fourth seamer, so India needs to take a hard call: even in English conditions, they must go with quality bowlers. If that means playing two spinners, so be it. Pick your best bowlers, irrespective of the conditions,” he added.

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With the Indian team not having an option like Mohammed Shami to be used on the England tour, the former cricketer asserted that Kuldeep can bring value to the XI, thanks to the surfaces being dry and open for spinners.

“You don’t have the luxury of someone like Mohammed Shami available, or the full-strength pace battery, so I’d go one seamer short and bring Kuldeep Yadav into the XI. He has to play. Let’s also acknowledge that English summers these days are largely dry, thanks to global warming, perhaps, and that does open the door for spin. In a way, it’s time to reintroduce the idea of India playing spin in England,” he observed.

“Ben Stokes has already changed the narrative with common-sense, aggressive cricket. India needs to embrace the same clarity. There was a time when India would play three spinners no matter what — whether in New Zealand or England. If Kuldeep is in your squad, play him. Don’t go with seamers just because you’re playing in England. I’d drop one seamer and bring in Kuldeep Yadav,” he concluded.

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