Kuldeep Yadav's Return Crucial for India in Final Test Against England

As India prepares for the decisive final Test against England, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar highlights the necessity of including Kuldeep Yadav in the lineup. With Jasprit Bumrah's absence, Manjrekar argues that India must focus on taking 20 wickets to level the series. The batting coach has indicated that the final decision will be made by the captain and head coach. Discover more about India's strategy and squad for this crucial match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 30, 2025, 02:05 IST

India's Strategy for the Final Test

New Delhi [India] - Former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has emphasized that India's primary objective should be to secure 20 wickets in the upcoming final Test against England at The Oval, starting Thursday. In light of Jasprit Bumrah's absence, he advocates for the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI.

India has faced challenges in accommodating their top left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep, in the last four Tests. With Bumrah having completed his three-Test quota, his participation in the final match remains uncertain.

Trailing 1-2 in the series, Manjrekar suggests that while the batting lineup has performed well, it may be necessary to make a sacrifice in the batting order to enhance the bowling attack. He believes that bringing Kuldeep in for Shardul Thakur would be a strategic move.

“At this point, India needs to level the series despite some questionable tactics and team selections, which is concerning. The philosophy should be straightforward: they require a bowling lineup capable of taking 20 wickets. If Bumrah is out, one of the key wicket-takers is missing,” Manjrekar stated during an ESPNcricinfo Match Day discussion.

“It’s clear that Kuldeep Yadav should be included. The focus must be on achieving those 20 wickets, especially since the batting appears stable. India can afford to play without an additional pure batter given the current form of Jadeja and Sundar. Therefore, Thakur should be replaced by Kuldeep,” he concluded.

On Tuesday, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak commented on the potential for Kuldeep to play in this critical match. He noted that the decision rests with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill.

“Our captain and head coach will discuss and make a decision. It hasn’t been finalized yet, and even if it were, it’s not my place to announce it. The decision will be made tomorrow,” Kotak informed the media.

India's squad for the fifth Test includes: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK).