logo
India tour of England: Like England have Shoaib Bashir, India should back their 'surprise package' Kuldeep Yadav, says ex-India cricketer

India tour of England: Like England have Shoaib Bashir, India should back their 'surprise package' Kuldeep Yadav, says ex-India cricketer

Time of India15-06-2025
Kuldeep Yadav (BCCI Photo)
NEW DELHI: If you look at
Kuldeep Yadav
's Test career, his highest wicket tally is against England — but all those wickets have come in home conditions. The left-arm wrist spinner has featured in just one Test against England in England — back in 2018 at Lord's — a match he'd prefer to forget.
On a green pitch under rain-affected conditions, Kuldeep had a tough time. He bowled nine overs, conceding 44 runs without taking a wicket, and scored a pair with the bat in a match India lost by an innings and 159 runs.
Now, with
Ravichandran Ashwin
retired, India will be counting on Kuldeep to shoulder the responsibility of leading the spin attack. Teaming up with fellow left-arm spinner and all-rounder
Ravindra Jadeja
, the duo could potentially form a lethal combination.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
But can Kuldeep live up to expectations? Can he be India's trump card on this tough English tour? Will he recreate the magic he spun against England at home?
Poll
Will Kuldeep Yadav be able to lead India's spin attack successfully in the upcoming Test series against England?
Yes, he has the potential to be a match-winner
No, he lacks experience in English conditions
Unsure, it depends on his performance
Only if he receives strong backing from the team management
As India gear up for the five-match Test series starting June 20 at Headingley in Leeds, former India left-arm spinner
Venkatapathy Raju
believes Kuldeep could be India's surprise weapon — and a potential match-winner in English conditions.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Show Your Patriotism: American Flag Bald Eagle Garland
Graddi
Read More
Undo
"Kuldeep Yadav can be a real surprise package in England. If you look at the current weather conditions, they're not too different from India — it's been quite hot across Europe. That's why I feel he should be the first-choice spinner," Raju told TimesofIndia.com during an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network.
"The team management needs to back him and clearly define his role. He must be made to believe he's going to be a match-winner," added Raju, who represented India in 28 Tests and picked up 93 wickets.
"When you compare options, someone like
Washington Sundar
hasn't bowled much in red-ball cricket lately, and while Ravindra Jadeja can contain and even run through sides on helpful pitches, Kuldeep offers that X-factor. Like England has Bashir, India should bank on Kuldeep. He should be leading the spin attack in this series and must believe that he can deliver big. For me, he should be in the XI for most, if not all, Tests," he said.
'NOT SURPRISED BY SARFARAZ'S OMISSION'
The debate around Sarfaraz Khan's continued exclusion despite his rich form is gaining momentum on social media.
Even after an impressive debut Test series against England earlier this year, Sarfaraz has had to wait for another opportunity in the playing XI. His omission from consecutive Test series has now become a major talking point among fans and former players alike.
Sarfaraz made a strong start to his Test career, scoring back-to-back fifties on debut against England in Rajkot in 2024. Prior to that, he also notched up a 150 in India's first Test against New Zealand last year.
Despite these performances, he was left out of the squad for the Australia tour and has once again been omitted from the upcoming England series.
The 27-year-old has worked hard on his fitness, shedding weight and focusing on conditioning, but the call-up continues to elude him.
He also scored 92 in an unofficial Test against the England Lions and followed it up with a blistering knock in the intra-squad match at Kent County Ground in Beckenham — smashing 101 runs off just 76 balls, including 15 boundaries and two sixes.
What went wrong for Sarfaraz remains unclear.
Former India spinner Venkatapathy Raju believes Sarfaraz simply needs to wait for his opportunity.
"Not really surprised. He's a young player and there's a lot of cricket coming up in the next two years. If he's not in the playing XI right now, it might be better for him to go back and keep playing domestic matches. That keeps him match-ready for when an opportunity opens up — maybe due to injury or form issues in the main squad," Raju told TimesofIndia.com.
"Sometimes, you just miss out because of team combinations. We've seen that in the past — even players like KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma had to wait for their chances. The good thing is Sarfaraz is focused on improving his fitness, he's shed a lot of weight, and he clearly wants to cement his place. He's definitely a talented player and has the potential to be a match-winner. Hopefully, when his chance comes, he'll be ready to grab it," he added.
'Nitish Kumar is a guy who can bowl that magic ball': India bowling coach Morne Morkel
'YOUNG TEAM INDIA WILL DELIVER'
The upcoming Test series against England marks the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket. No Rohit Sharma. No Virat Kohli. And no R Ashwin. With Shubman Gill taking over as captain, India will field a squad that includes several fresh faces — some with limited experience, and others set to play in English conditions for the first time.
India's last Test series win in England came in 2007 under Rahul Dravid's captaincy.
Prior to that, the team achieved historic triumphs in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar and in 1986 under Kapil Dev.
Can this young and relatively inexperienced Indian side script history once again on English soil?
"If you look back at the Australia series — not the last one where we won the first Test but ended up losing the series — I'm talking about the one before that. Back then, we had a relatively inexperienced squad, but still managed to win two Tests and the series.
Players like Washington Sundar and T. Natarajan went as net bowlers but ended up winning matches for India," Raju said.
"This tour could be similar. There's a lot of talent in the squad, and many of these players have played overseas and understand what's required to succeed. It's a great opportunity for them to step up, make a mark, and establish themselves as reliable Test players. Let's wait and watch — I'm hopeful they'll grab their chances and deliver," he said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India refuse to 'shake hands' with England after Ben Stokes offers to call off Manchester Test; Jadeja, Crawley argue
India refuse to 'shake hands' with England after Ben Stokes offers to call off Manchester Test; Jadeja, Crawley argue

Hindustan Times

time15 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

India refuse to 'shake hands' with England after Ben Stokes offers to call off Manchester Test; Jadeja, Crawley argue

What began as a herculean effort for a hard-fought draw in Manchester threatened to boil over in its final moments, as Ben Stokes' offer to settle for a draw with 15 overs remaining in the day's play was first met with a polite refusal, and then a stormy fallout. With India well ahead on 386/4 after 138 overs and a lead of 75, the match was headed towards an inevitable draw. But the Indian camp had other ideas. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar turned down Ben Stokes' offer for a draw(X) Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both nearing their centuries, didn't budge when Stokes walked up to suggest calling it off. In fact, they asked to carry on. The England captain, visibly bemused, shook his head in disbelief and trudged back, muttering under his breath. Moments later, the stump mic caught Harry Brook and Zak Crawley getting into a verbal exchange with Jadeja over the handshake snub. Tensions flared. Drinks were taken, but the tensions remained on the field. While a result was out of question, the Indian duo wanted to stay at the crease for the hard-fought centuries which they deserved; however, the English players were not in the mood to stay for the duo's milestones, which showed in their expressions. England had bowled 138 overs in draining conditions, and a prolonged spell under the sun failing to reap rewards only piled onto the fatigue. Jadeja and Sundar, meanwhile, looked composed and determined, extending their stand over 170. Earlier, Shubman Gill produced a gritty knock under extreme pressure, scoring 103, while KL Rahul smashed 90 to bail India out of a tricky situation on Day 4. The visitors were left reeling at 0/2 while trailing by a mammoth 311; however, Rahul, alongside the Indian captain, produced a gritty display to not only see away the tricky phase but stabilise the Indian innings. Duo slams century, Test ends in a draw Soon enough, both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar slammed their respective centuries, with the former also producing his trademark sword celebration after reaching the three-figure mark. England, displeased with being turned down, decided to introduce part-time spinner Harry Brook into the attack, seemingly in an attempt to end the match quickly. The deliveries from Brook were dubious, too, as he bowled multiple full-tosses, with Jadeja smashing them away for boundaries. With the Manchester Test ending in a draw, the English team continues to lead 2-1. However, the result ensured India travel back to London with a chance to level

ENG vs IND: Jadeja, Sundar heroics help India force gritty draw in 4th Test
ENG vs IND: Jadeja, Sundar heroics help India force gritty draw in 4th Test

Business Standard

time15 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

ENG vs IND: Jadeja, Sundar heroics help India force gritty draw in 4th Test

Team India have managed to fight out a draw in the 4th Test against England at the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester as they take the series to the 5th and final Test in Kensington Oval now. The sereis remains 2-1 in the favour of England but with India having a chance to draw the series in the final attempt. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar's gritty yet eventful 203-run partnership did the trick in the end for the visitors as England couldn't pick 8 wickets on the final day of the encounter to seal the series. Brilliant effort put in again by both the sides who fought till the last hour and saw players picking up niggles along the way because of the demands of the Test match that tested the players both physically and mentally in the course of the 5 days. England opting to bowl first The match started with English skipper Ben Stokes winning the fourth toss in a row in the series and opting to bowl first. However, to their surprise, India started the match in promising manner, adding 94 runs for the first wicket before KL Rahul (46) lost his wicket to Chris Woakes. Yashasvi Jaiswal (58), Sai Sudharsan (61) and Rishabh Pant (54) all hit brilliant half-centuries, followed by gusty cameos from Shardul Thakur (41) and Washington Sundar (27), which helped India post 358 runs on the board before being bundled out. Ben Stokes was England's best bowler with a spell of 5 for 72 to his name. England's dominance with the bat In reply, England showcased pure dominance as their top three, Zak Crawley (84), Ben Duckett (94) and Ollie Pope (71), despite missing out on Test tons, put England in a commanding position before Joe Root (150) and Ben Stokes (141) ripped apart the Indian bowling line-up, as England finished their innings at 669 before losing all 10 wickets. The hosts took a huge lead of 311 in the first innings, putting India in danger of an innings defeat. Gill-Rahul paving the way for a draw India's start in the second innings was exactly the opposite of the first, as they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, both on a duck, in the first over itself. But just when the game looked all but done for India, KL Rahul, along with skipper Shubman Gill, led one of the best fightbacks in Test cricket, adding 188 runs for the third wicket before Rahul was dismissed by Ben Stokes on 90. Skipper Gill went on to score his fourth Test hundred of the series but was then dismissed by Jofra Archer on 103, as India found themselves in a tough spot after a brilliant fightback. However, the two Indian all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar then took charge and stitched a century stand for the fifth wicket, to not only take India past the 311-run mark to avoid an innings defeat but also push the match further towards a draw. Jadeja-Sundar's 203-run stand does the job for the visitors The final session then saw both batters take the run scoring up a notch and get the score past 350 on the day as well. With almost an hour of play left in Manchester, it is at that point that both captains shook hands and decided to call this riveting tie a draw. The control percentage between the two batters was up to 92% in the final session despite of experiencing more turn in the middle. This just shows the level of grit and determination between the two batters to take their team through to the finish line. Both batters were given the chance to complete their hundreds with Sundar scoring his maiden Test ton as well as both Stokes and Jadeja were then seeing shaking hands to call it a day in what was a riveting test match in Manchester. Shubman Gill and co. go to Kensington Oval with the thought of levelling the 5-match series in the final Test now. India 2nd Inning 425-4 (143 ov) CRR:2.97 Batter R B 4s 6s SR Yashasvi Jaiswal c J Root b C Woakes 0 4 0 0 0 KL Rahul lbw b B Stokes 90 230 8 0 39.13 Sai Sudharsan c H Brook b C Woakes 0 1 0 0 0 Shubman Gill (C) c JL Smith b J Archer 103 238 12 0 43.28 Washington Sundar Not out 101 206 9 1 49.03 Ravindra Jadeja Not out 107 185 13 1 57.84 Extras 24 (b 14, Ib 2, w 2, nb 6, p 0) Total 425 (4 wkts, 143 Ov) Yet to Bat Rishabh Pant,Shardul Thakur,Anshul Kamboj,Jasprit Bumrah,Mohammed Siraj Fall of Wickets 0-1(Yashasvi Jaiswal 0.4),0-2(Sai Sudharsan 0.5),188-3(KL Rahul 70.2),222-4(Shubman Gill 87.4) Bowler O M R W NB WD ECO Chris Woakes 23 4 67 2 1 0 2.91 Jofra Archer 23 3 78 1 0 0 3.39 Brydon Carse 17 3 44 0 4 1 2.59 Liam Dawson 47 11 95 0 0 0 2.02 Joe Root 19 2 68 0 0 0 3.58 Ben Stokes 11 2 33 1 1 1 3 Harry Brook 3 0 24 0 0 0 8

Watch: Ben Stokes offers draw, India decline to let Jadeja, Sundar score hundreds
Watch: Ben Stokes offers draw, India decline to let Jadeja, Sundar score hundreds

India Today

time15 minutes ago

  • India Today

Watch: Ben Stokes offers draw, India decline to let Jadeja, Sundar score hundreds

Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar rubbed salt into England's wounds on Day 5 by declining Ben Stokes's offer of a draw before the final hour of play began in the Manchester approached the umpires and offered to shake hands with the Indian players when the score read 386 for 4, with India leading by 75 runs. With 15 overs remaining, the England captain acknowledged there was no realistic chance of a result in favour of the home vs IND, 4th Test Day 5: Highlights Shubman Gill, watching from the dressing room, looked impassive as Jadeja and Sundar made it clear they intended to carry on. The two Indian all-rounders were nearing their centuries and were well within their rights to remain at the crease with time still left in the Stokes did not appear entirely pleased with India's decision to reject the draw. The England captain was seen shaking his head after a lengthy discussion with the umpire and the two India continued, and both Jadeja and Sundar reached their centuries. Jadeja unleashed his trademark sword celebration to mark yet another heroic knock on English soil, while Sundar celebrated his maiden Test hundred. The pair added an unbroken 203 runs for the fifth wicket.#RavindraJadeja is in the zone, and his bat is doing all the talking. ??Will he convert this into a big hundred?#ENGvIND ?? 4th TEST, DAY 5 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar ?? Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025England were made to bowl five extra overs, allowing Sundar and Jadeja to reach their individual Brook, who was brought on to bowl after the draw was initially declined, delivered gentle lobs, enabling the Indian batters to find the boundary with Stokes and Ben Duckett kept up a running commentary with the Indian duo, something that drew criticism from Sunil Gavaskar, who was on commentary at the time."Jaddu, you want to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook and Joe Root?" Stokes was heard on the stump mic saying, triggering Gavaskar's the two teams shook hands when Sundar brought up his maiden hundred with a boundary at the end of the 143rd over.- EndsTune InTrending Reel

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store