Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes that apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India's bowling attack is ready and the more they play, the more they will get ready, but he wants the pace spearhead Bumrah to play because he made the bowling attack better. Ganguly reckons that spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be part of India's setup.
Kuldeep has played 13 Tests since making his debut against Australia in Dharamsala in 2017, and he has managed to pick 56 wickets so far. Kuldeep's last Test outing came in India against New Zealand, and after that, he missed the spot in Rohit Sharma-led India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.
Kuldeep Yadav was part of India's squad for the five-Test match series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, where he was unable to get a single match.
"All of them are ready. And the more chances we get, the more ready we will be. I want Bumrah to be fit. Because if Bumrah plays, the attack becomes even better. Jasprit Bumrah is not easy on this wicket. We will have to look at the spinners. I want Kuldeep to be included in the team somehow" Sourav Ganguly exclusively told Sports Tak.
Ganguly further stated that if Rishabh Pant is injured, then Dhruv Jurel is there to keep wickets and India should include Kuldeep Yadav as well because it is very important for a team to feature with a good spinner.
"I think if Rishabh Pant was injured, Jurel would have to play. If Rishabh Pant comes in 5th, and Jadeja comes in 6th, and Washington comes in 7th, then Kuldeep will have a place in this team. Because with good teams, over a long period, to win consistently, it is very important to be a good spinner in the 4th and 5th" added Ganguly.
India last involved in a five-Test match series against England which was ended 2-2 draw after the Shubman Gill-led side defeated England by six runs in the last Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
The above interview was conducted by Anirban Sinha Roy, a West Bengal-based multimedia journalist who primarily covers sports for India Today and Sports Tak.