Former England captain and Delhi Capitals (DC) mentor Kevin Pietersen has made a passionate plea for Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion in India’s playing XI for the upcoming third Test against England at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. The crafty left-arm wrist-spinner has been warming the bench so far in the series, with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar preferred in the spin department.
Pietersen, who shared the DC dressing room with Kuldeep during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), has worked closely with the spinner in the build-up to this crucial England tour. Kuldeep himself credited Pietersen’s mentorship for helping him fine-tune his game ahead of the red-ball challenge in English conditions. With legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin having bid farewell to international cricket, Kuldeep was drafted into the Test squad as a vital spin option.
Despite growing calls from fans and experts alike for Kuldeep to be deployed as an attacking option, especially in the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in Edgbaston Test, India’s think tank opted for batting depth by selecting Washington Sundar. The move paid dividends as the lower middle-order chipped in with vital runs, while pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj combined effectively to snare 17 wickets at Edgbaston. But Pietersen believes the Indian attack lacks an X-factor.
“They need to play him. India lost a Test match, won a Test match and I think they are missing some sort of variation. I think they are missing variation,” Pietersen shared his thoughts with Times of while attending the “YOUWECAN CHARITY GALA” in London.
“I sat with him a couple of times when I was mentor with the Delhi Capitals, and I discussed bowling in England with him. I discussed tactics. I had a lot of chat on how to bowl and where to bowl. We spent a lot of time and it will just be nice to see him play. It would be lovely to see him play. He loves bowling, he loves taking wickets. And I want to see my buddy play. I don’t like my buddies on the bench,” he stated passionately.
The five-match Test series is intriguingly poised at 1-1 after India’s commanding win at Edgbaston, setting the stage for a riveting contest at Lord’s starting Thursday, July 10.
Kuldeep's previous Test outing at Lord's
Interestingly, Kuldeep’s last outing at Lord’s came during the 2018 tour, when India opted for a two-spinner strategy with him and Ashwin. On that occasion, however, Kuldeep bowled just nine over’s, conceding 44 runs without success, as India suffered a crushing innings defeat. Since then, he has featured in only one Test outside the subcontinent, during the 2019-20 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.