Daijiworld Media Network – Birmingham

Birmingham, Jun 29: As India prepares to regroup after a dismal loss in the opening Test against England, calls for changes in the playing XI have grown louder, with former Australia captain Michael Clarke insisting that including wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is an ‘absolute no-brainer.’

With the second Test at Edgbaston looming, reports suggest Jasprit Bumrah could be rested due to workload management, and more reshuffling may be on the cards. India's bowling unit — apart from Bumrah — struggled at Leeds, with Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna unable to make much impact.

Speaking on the Beyond23 podcast, Clarke said, “Bowling-wise, I do not want to be hard on any individual, but I think they’ve got to play Kuldeep Yadav. He’s a wicket-taker and would’ve offered much more than what the attack did in the first Test.”

Clarke criticised India's tendency to prioritise batting depth over bowling potency. “India have done this for a while... They are willing to risk not picking the number one spinner for batting depth. But in England, if you want to win, you have to pick bowlers who can take 20 wickets.”

Echoing Clarke, former England cricketer Nick Knight also made a strong case for Kuldeep’s inclusion. “If Kuldeep is on top of his game, that could be a defining moment in the series.

England likes to be aggressive, but against Kuldeep’s variations, especially with some pitch assistance, that aggression can backfire,” Knight noted.

With Gautam Gambhir now at the helm as head coach, it remains to be seen if India will take a bold step and include Kuldeep in the must-win Edgbaston Test.