The Indian team management have got some tough choices to make heading into the second Test of the five-match series against England at Edgbaston. With Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss out, either Akash Deep or Arshdeep Singh can be given a place in the playing XI. However, with the pitch in Birmingham expected to be dry, the Men in Blue can also opt to go for either Kuldeep Yadav or Washington Sundar as their second spin option alongside the veteran Ravindra Jadeja.
Out of Kuldeep and Sundar, it is the latter who has a better chance of making it to the playing XI as he can also give good contributions with the bat and even has four fifties under his name in the format unlike the former. However, ex-India cricketer Mohammad Kaif feels that if Kuldeep gets snubbed for the second Test, then it will be quite 'unfair' for the left-arm spinner.
"It will be unfair if Kuldeep Yadav doesn't get into the playing XI for second Test. He has just played 13 Tests in 8 years. Earlier he was kept out because of Ashwin now how do you justify his exclusion," Kaif wrote on X.
Kuldeep has a great record in Test cricket
Despite having a fine record in red-ball cricket with 56 wickets under his belt in just 13 matches, Kuldeep has surprisingly not been given many chances to feature for the Men in Blue in the format. The left-arm spinner remained in the shadow of Ravichandran Ashwin for quite a long time and Kaif pointed that out.
However, Ashwin's retirement during the Border-Gavaskar series 2024/25 against Australia, opened the door for Kuldeep's return to the team. It will be interesting to see what decision the team management takes regarding the 30-year-old for the second Test against England which will commence from July 2.
Earlier, the Three Lions had managed to take a 1-0 lead in the series after emerging victorious by five wickets at Headingley in the first Test. India's dependancy on Bumrah for wickets yet again got highlighted in the match as other than him, no other bowler was able to pose much of a challenge for the England batters as they chased down the 371-run target rather comfortably on the fifth day.