"Second spinner won't be bad option if...": Indian skipper Gill ahead of Birmingham Test
Going into the second Test at Birmingham, India is trailing 0-1. During the last game, India failed to defend a 371-run set, with four fast bowling options in Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Siraj, and only one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja. The fast bowlers, except for Bumrah, leaked runs at a high economy, costing India the match as much as their poor low-order batting.
In the squad, India has spin bowling options in all-rounder Washington Sundar and an attacking, wicket-taking Kuldeep Yadav, besides Jadeja.
Speaking on whether the team could play a second spinner at Birmingham, Gill said during the pre-match presser, 'It is not common to see two spinners in England. But the weather was not typical.'
'It rained a lot and the sun was shining. In the last match also, if we had an extra spinner in the 4th inning, the game could have been better. There were some patches in the wicket which we could have exploited,' he added.
During the match, Gill said whenever Jadeja was bowling, the team felt that they were containing chances, and it was much easier for spinners to contain runs as compared to pacers, especially with the ball getting old and stopping swinging.
'The wickets were also good for batting. So, if the fast bowlers are not creating enough chances for the fast bowlers, then we feel that maybe a second spinner on these kinds of wickets will at least contain a run till the second new ball comes. So, looking at the last match, I felt that if the wicket is going to be similar to how it was in the last match, then a second spinner would be a bad option,' he concluded.
India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Ben Duckett — redefining the rules and re-establishing himself
When the bell rings, it's not the size of the fighter that matters — it's the precision of the blows, the ability to absorb them, and the will to hit back harder. 835 runs in total — five centuries from the opposition. Every sign pointing towards collapse and defeat in a fourth innings chase. But in walked Ben Duckett — fearless and unfazed. In the opening round of the five-Test clash against a transitioning Indian team at Headingley, Duckett stepped in not merely to survive, but to counterpunch with fearless intent, flair, and nerve. While Jasprit Bumrah was doing Jasprit Bumrah things: testing techniques and rattling nerves, Duckett stood tall. ALSO READ | ENG vs IND Tests: Where is the sword-swishing, humming Jadeja? He didn't flinch. He fired back, landing clean, decisive strikes — 149 of them — each one shifting the momentum in England's favour. A mammoth 371 stared England down. Duckett didn't just hang in. He fought. He scored. He played with purpose. And how. There's always been a certain grace to left-handers — a quiet elegance, even in the way they leave a ball outside the off-stump. Think of David Gower's liquid timing, Alastair Cook's monk-like patience or Andrew Strauss' measured balance at the crease. A different kind of southpaw Duckett doesn't belong to that school. He's a different kind of southpaw — one built for tempo, not tradition. He rarely leaves anything outside off and when the ball enters his zone, his instinct isn't caution, it's to attack. Every swing he takes is charged with aggression. 'He is now England's answer to Virender Sehwag,' wrote former England player-turned-commentator-turned-coach David Lloyd in his Daily Mail column. It's hard to argue with that sentiment. Sehwag's arrival in Test cricket was thunderous. Handed a debut in the middle order against South Africa, he announced himself with a 105 before earning a promotion to the top. It was an inspired move by captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright. They gave him what most players only dream of: freedom to play and to learn on his own terms. With that came the destruction of bowlers and, consequentially, of tradition. That elevation gave him the licence to attack, to play on instinct and, most importantly, to fail without the fear of being dropped. ALSO READ | Ind vs Eng Birmingham Test Day 1: Gill and Jaiswal drive India even as team selection grabs the spotlight All-out aggression Sehwag didn't just score runs; he dismantled attacks, instilled fear in bowlers and reshaped the way openers were viewed in the sport. He imposed himself, series after series. For Duckett, the journey to open for England began long before current head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes entered the picture. It all started in 2016 with a stroke of bold 'intuition and chance' at Northamptonshire. The county side was then searching for an opener and coach David Ripley took a 'chance' by promoting Duckett, then a middle-order batter, to the top. This move would eventually transform his career. That same bold belief has come from 'Baz' McCullum and Stokes. In Duckett, they saw a disruptor — a player with the mindset to break patterns, not adhere to them. And like Ganguly and Wright did for Sehwag, they handed Duckett the keys to the top order. No overthinking, no axe hanging — just a license to play. The result? A left-hander who's now attacks just like what Sehwag once did. 'I didn't think I'd be an opening batter, but I'm enjoying the role', Duckett was quoted by ESPNCricinfo. 'I started my career batting lower down where you can get away with playing a bit loose. But I've batted better since I began opening, so I'm going to keep playing this way. I'm still trying to learn to play as straight as I can early on in my innings. 'If I'm going to the next step, I'm going to need to be technically better as an opener and maybe a bit more patient. But I've made things work so I'll try and carry it on', he added. "He's brilliant to watch" 🙌 Stuart Broad on the rise of Ben Duckett 📈 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 2, 2025 ALSO READ | ENG vs IND second Test: India's juggling act: prioritise batting depth or 20 wickets? Trial by fire It's hard to believe how it all began for the 30-year-old back in 2016 — a debut in Test cricket that was as fleeting as it was unforgiving. Thrown into the subcontinental furnace, he started brightly in Bangladesh, scoring two half-centuries in the ODI series. But that early promise quickly faded once he put on the Test whites. Facing India its backyard is an entirely different ball game and a fledgling Duckett was left overwhelmed. His tendency to rock back deep in the crease and play across his pads became a glaring flaw, one the Indian bowlers, particularly the spinners, exploited ruthlessly. Ball after ball, they exposed the glitch, reducing Duckett to a walking wicket. He was dropped just two Tests into England's eventual 4-0 series defeat — his final act, a 16-ball duck in Vizag. Vulnerable technique and the brutal reality of Test cricket had left him exposed. The door that once opened for him with enthusiasm shut just as quickly. As if his on-field struggles weren't enough, Duckett's behaviour beyond the boundary only added to his woes. During the 2017-18 Ashes tour of Australia, he found himself at the centre of a bizarre incident in Perth. He allegedly poured pints of beer over England's all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson. What could have been shrugged off as immature banter quickly spiralled, with Duckett eventually sent home midway through the tour. For many, that would have been the end. Duckett, though, wasn't wired to disappear. He dug in. He rebuilt. He refined himself and let his bat do the talking. It taught him resilience, perspective, and the hunger to grab every chance that came his way. So when 'Bazball' and England called again in 2022, he returned, ready to rewrite his story and, this time, on his terms. A blistering 107 off 110 balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi announced his arrival. It was a statement of fearlessness, it set the tone not just for his second coming but also for England's bold new era under McCullum. That knock came on Day 1 of a historic 506-run blitz — the most runs ever scored in a single day of Test cricket. Duckett's innings was a masterclass in pacing: sweep, reverse sweep, glide and repeat. Spin was dismantled, rhythm destroyed. The old Duckett was gone; this one is here to dominate. ALSO READ | India vs England Tests: 'All-rounders' don't look the part; back to the specialists, then Just the beginning Then came Rajkot, 2024. In a dust bowl, Duckett countered with audacity, smashing 153 off 151 balls enroute registering fastest Test century by an Englishman on Indian soil. Reverse sweeps off Ravichandran Ashwin, front-foot drives through cover and an innings played at a strike rate that left even the most seasoned spinners scrambling. Cook called it 'out of this world. And now, there's Headingley 2025. Chasing an imposing 371 against India, Duckett once again stepped in and turned up the heat. Bumrah was breathing fire as usual but the 30-year-old did not flinch. His innings wasn't built on recklessness; it was built on clarity. It tilted the balance and gave England the upper hand in round one of a five-Test saga. From being discarded in 2016 and being sent home in 2017 to now standing tall as one of England's most fearless Test openers, Duckett has seen it all. And if Headingley is any indication, the Nottinghamshire batter isn't done just yet. He doesn't just play the Bazball way — he is its very definition. Dynamic. Defiant. And nowhere near done.
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
'Support Builds Stars': Internet Slams Indian Team Management For Dropping Sudharsan
Shubman Gill revealed India's XI for the Edgbaston Test, dropping Sai Sudharsan. The internet was on fire on Wednesday when the Indian playing XI for the Edgbaston Test was announced at the toss by skipper Shubman Gill, with many disturbed by the fact that Sai Sudharsan was dropped from the playing XI after featuring in just one Test. India made three changes to their lineup for the Edgbaston Test, with Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar coming in for ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur. The second Test began at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday, July 2. England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and put India to bat first. Fans opined that that Sudharsan deserved more opportunities to prove his worth and getting dropped after just one game would hamper his confidence. 'Sai Sudharsan, a young talent who earned his spot after a brilliant IPL. You picked him for the first Test. But after just one chance, you dropped him. Is that fair? Young players need backing, not pressure. One failure shouldn't decide a career. 💔 Support builds stars. Silence breaks them," a user tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. Sai Sudharsan — a young talent who earned his spot after a brilliant picked him for the first Test…But after just one chance, you dropped that fair?Young players need backing, not failure shouldn't decide a career. 💔Support builds stars.…— 11 (@11_crick) July 2, 2025 'Yes, it was unfortunate for Sai Sudharsan. Dropping him after a start in the first Test may have been a compulsion of the team combination, but it may affect the confidence of the young player," another user tweeted. Not just for Sudharsan, but the Indian team management received quite some flak for their bowling lineup for the Edgbaston Test. 'Every single Indian cricket fan: 'We *must* play Kuldeep and Arshdeep." Team India: 'Superb idea. Makes total sense. But… how about none of them," comedian Sorabh Pant tweeted. Every single Indian cricket fan:'We *must* play Kuldeep and Arshdeep."Team India:'Superb idea. Makes total sense. But… how about none of them?" #INDvsENG — Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) July 2, 2025 'After conceding 373 runs in 85 overs and taking only 5 wickets, what would a team do? Strengthen their bowling. But what has India done? Weakened it. Baffling," another user tweeted. After conceding 373 runs in 85 overs and taking only 5 wickets, what would a team do? Strengthen their bowling. But what have India done? Weakened it. Baffling #ENGvIND — Rohit Balaji (@rohitbalaji95) July 2, 2025 Meanwhile, skipper Shubman Gill led from the front once more with a second century in as many games as India's captain to keep England at bay at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
The Hindu
41 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Gill and Jaiswal drive India even as team selection grabs the spotlight
On a day when India's team selection provoked and riled admirers and critics alike, Shubman Gill & Co reached 310 for five at stumps in the second Test against England at Birmingham on Wednesday. On the opening morning at Edgbaston, when asked by Ben Stokes to experience the pitch first, India left two of its best wicket-taking bowlers on the bench – pacer Jasprit Bumrah to manage his workload and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav for his inferior batting ability – and dropped a frontline batter in B. Sai Sudharsan, who had debuted in Leeds and scored 30 neat, second-innings runs. In came two all-rounders Nitish Kumar and Washington Sundar, both capable players but not yet of the cutting-edge variety. Akash Deep replacing Bumrah was the only straightforward decision. There appears to be an inward obsession and a stubborn insistence in the Indian thinktank to pack the team with batters who can bowl. And the move, coming as it did after the visitors struggled to dismiss England twice in Headingley and went 0-1 down in the series, struck a discordant note. Also, three changes to a line-up that may well have won the first Test if not for dropped catches seemed overly reactive. However, in sport, results authenticate tactics and approaches, and it will be up to Gill (114 batting, 216b, 12x4) and Jadeja (41 batting, 67b, 5x4) to prove that the logic behind India's choices was indeed sound. On a demon-free turf, Yashasvi Jaiswal (87, 107b, 13x4) and Gill propped up India. Jaiswal batted in a brisk, authoritative fashion, and after India lost K.L. Rahul cheaply (2, 26b), the left-hander and one-drop Karun Nair (31, 50b, 5x4) combined for 80 runs. There were times when Jaiswal appeared tetchy as England bowled into his body and cramped him for width. But Jaiswal was up for the battle, and even aced the short-ball challenge, with his best shot being the pulled four off Josh Tongue despite the presence of a short-leg, mid-wicket, square-leg, long-leg and fine-leg. Karun, batting at No. 3 after his one-match stint at No. 6, was in sparkling touch, executing a few wonderful drives. But at the stroke of lunch, a Brydon Carse delivery climbed awkwardly and he was caught at second slip. After the break, Gill had the lion's share of the strike but he took a risk-free approach, scoring at a rate less than 50. But he collected runs all around the ground, a majority of them in ones and twos. Jaiswal, though, fell in an attempt to move the scoreboard along, caught behind off Stokes while trying a cut. However, Gill drove, steered and flicked his way to a responsible ton. Stokes, who had earlier baited Rishabh Pant (25, 42b, 1x4, 1x6) into hitting straight to long-on, tried to lure Gill by introducing Joe Root an over before the new ball was due. Gill responded with two confident sweeps to bring up his seventh Test century and second of the series. When Nitish, who came in at the fall of Pant, shouldered arms to Chris Woakes and had his reputation in tatters, India had fallen to 211 for five. With a 99-run stand, Gill and Jadeja arrested the slide and it will be up to them to ensure that the knife that had come so dangerously close doesn't end up twisting them on day two and leave them bleeding.
