indian cricket team

Mohammad Azharuddin Fights For THIS Player’s Inclusion In India Playing XI For 2nd Test vs England

Ashish Satyam

Last updated: June 30, 2025

3 min read

One of the greatest batters of his time, Mohammad Azharuddin, reckoned that India should add left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test against England at Edgbaston. He believes Kuldeep’s inclusion could reduce the pressure on Jasprit Bumrah, adding that the team is overly dependent on him.

This comes after India lost the first game against England by five wickets at Headingley. The Indian bowlers were not effective against the English batters in the fourth innings in Leeds despite the fact that the visitors managed to post massive scores in both innings.

The likes of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul ended up scoring centuries, helping India post huge totals. However, the Indian middle order collapsed as they lost six wickets for just 31 runs in the second innings, going from 333/4 to 364 all out.

Why India Should Play Kuldeep Yadav?

The former India player said that the team must think about adding Kuldeep into their playing XI in the second Test. Edgbaston’s pitch is likely to be dry, and it could assist spinners like Kuldeep. On the other hand, Bumrah will only be playing in the three Test matches, and his participation in the second Test is still under the scanner.

“They are too much dependent on Bumrah. It’s not easy because you need more experienced bowlers, and they should play Kuldeep Yadav. We lost because of batting collapse, but anyways now they have to pick the right players and bowling has to be perfect,” Azharuddin told PTI.

As of now, the Uttar Pradesh-based spinner has taken part in 13 Test matches and scalped 56 wickets with the help of four five-wicket hauls. He can deceive the batter with his slower balls, and at the same time, he can bring the ball in, which can help India in the middle overs.

ALSO READ:

ENG vs IND First Test

During the first Test, Bumrah was the lone warrior as he scalped a total of five wickets. On the back of his terrific bowling, the English side was restricted to 465 runs in the first innings.

In the second innings, the Indian bowlers looked clueless as the hosts chased down 371 runs on the last day. India will be facing England in the second Test, starting from July 2 at Edgbaston. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, the visitors will look to make an impact to level the series.

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.