The Birmingham Test will begin on July 2.
The second Test of the five-match series is just two nights away. During the pre-match press conference ahead of the Birmingham Test, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate provided insights into the recalibrated bowling line-up. India may ring in several changes to their playing XI for the upcoming clash against England. Barring Jasprit Bumrah, the pace battery comprising Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur had an underwhelming outing at Headingley. Meanwhile, spinner Ravindra Jadeja conceded over 100 runs in the second innings.
The coach stayed guarded on revealing names but has dropped several hints about the bowling lineup. The team is likely to opt for two spinners and a couple of bowling all-rounders. The changes also come after the difference in pitch conditions at Edgbaston, a venue where India are yet to win a Test match. Additionally, ten Doeschate confirmed Bumrah’s availability. However, his inclusion will be finalised only on the day of the match.
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When it comes to two spinners, it’s a no-brainer that Kuldeep Yadav would be added to the squad. But the media interaction suggests that Jadeja may be axed.
Speaking about the shuffle in the spin department, ten Doeschate said, “I am very sure two spinners will play. Which ones we are not sure yet. All three are bowling nicely, Washi [Washington Sundar] is batting really well too.”
Cricket pundits across the world have pushed Kuldeep’s case. In 13 matches, the 30-year-old has performed well, scalping 56 wickets, which include four fifers. However, he went wicketless in the only match he played in England. Kuldeep would look to update his statistics as he is most likely to fill the middle overs when the ball gets slightly older.
To accompany Kuldeep, Washington Sundar can be added to the mix. Washi is a bowling all-rounder. He bowls right-arm offbreak and can bat with a left-handed stance. In nine Tests, he has taken 25 wickets, out of which only two were taken in England. However, Washi’s batting may be beneficial for the tail-end. He has made two fifties already in four innings. In the last Test, India went from 333/5 to 364/10 in about 13 overs. Thus, Washi could prove to be a good move.
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Additionally, the coach mentioned that another youngster may get a chance to play on English soil. This further raises doubts about Jadeja’s presence in the line-up. Though he’s a senior player and one of the best all-rounders in red-ball cricket, Jadeja’s numbers from the Leeds Test speak otherwise. With the bat, Jadeja amassed 11 and 25*. With the ball, he picked up one wicket across two innings, at the cost of 170+ runs.
He added, “Nitish Kumar Reddy is very close to getting a game. He is our premium batting all-rounder.”
NKR recently made his Test debut during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in 2024-25. He played all five matches Down Under, amassing 298 runs, including a century when the team needed it the most. With the ball, he returned with five wickets.
All the above changes hint at a possible snub of Jadeja. However, ten Doeschate hasn’t confirmed any names for the Birmingham Test starting on July 2.
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