Kuldeep Yadav May Be The Game Changer India Needs In The Next Test Against England

The Indian cricket team is already down 1-2 in the five-match Test series against England and former Indian cricketer Farokh Engineer has made some fierce recommendations that will get India back on track. With two key matches remaining in the series India cannot afford to make any mistakes. The first Test at Leeds was lost by five wickets by the team and while they staged a wonderful come back in the second Test played at Birmingham with a massive win of 336 runs they were defeated very narrowly in the third Test by a mere 22 runs. Now with the fourth Test to start on July 23 at Old Trafford Manchester everyone's attention is focused on the team selection and strategy.

One of the most important suggestions by Farokh Engineer is to play Kuldeep Yadav in the eleven. Kuldeep is a left-arm wrist spinner and in the opinion of Engineer, he might have made a huge difference in the last couple of matches where conditions were ideal for spin bowling. Kuldeep has been accompanying the team and is a member of the team but hasn't been provided any opportunity to play in any of the three Tests thus far. For the first match, India opted for Ravindra Jadeja alone as a spinner and then Washington Sundar was included in the second and third Tests. Both Sundar and Jadeja have been holding bowlers looking to contain runs instead of going hard for wickets. That is where Engineer believes Kuldeep's potential to turn the ball and pick up wickets can give India the X-factor they need.

Farokh particularly recommended that Kuldeep be brought into the team in the place of right-hand bat, right-arm medium pace bowling all-rounder Nitish Reddy. While Reddy contributes balance to the side both with bat and ball Engineer feels that Kuldeep's spin would take some of the pressure away from the fast bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Engineer also accepted the excellent work done by Washington Sundar who has been good with the bat and is an alert fielder but highlighted that Kuldeep offers another type of threat which can be particularly handy on spin-friendly wickets like Old Trafford.

The Old Trafford pitch has long favored spin which makes this an important point in the argument of Engineer. If India chooses to play Kuldeep Yadav, the trio of him with Jadeja and Sundar can make for a better-balanced and more threatening bowling attack particularly towards the later part of the game. This would not only improve India's prospects of picking wickets but also reduce the workload on their fast bowlers who have been playing consecutive matches.

The other change that Farokh Engineer has proposed is the addition of young batsman Sai Sudharsan. According to him, new blood and a different mind-set in the batting order may be what is needed to enable the team to adjust more easily if the existing strategy is not paying dividends. Engineer urged the team management to not be stubborn about their original intentions if they are not proving fruitful. If Plan A is not yielding wins he encouraged the team to adopt Plan B and try new avenues that can lead to a turn around.

One of the strongest suggestions from Engineer is the selection of pace lead Jasprit Bumrah for the fourth Test. Bumrah was given a break in the second Test under the team's workload management policy but Engineer believes that his inclusion in the playing eleven is indispensable if India has to equalize the series. Bumrah's skill of providing key breakthroughs and adaptability to English conditions make him one of the most crucial players in the team. India's selector Ajit Agarkar had already made it clear before the tour that Bumrah would not be available for all five matches because of workload but now when the series is on the line, his availability becomes crucial.

Engineer signed off on a positive note remarking that team selection will prove to be the key for India at Old Trafford. He believes that with the proper combination of spinners and pacers and with Kuldeep Yadav and Sai Sudharsan in the team India can still do it. At times losing the toss can also prove to be a blessing based on the behavior of the pitch. For him, cricket is an unpredictable game and with the proper frame of mind and team combination India can definitely turn the tables.

With only two games remaining and series victory still within reach now attention is on whether the Indian team management will consider these inputs seriously. Including Kuldeep Yadav would be an audacious and game-altering decision particularly if the Old Trafford pitch provides spin. Team India's recent game performances indicate that the fight is on and the talent exists but some new decisions within the playing eleven may be required to tip the scales in their direction.

While the team is preparing in Manchester for the fourth Test, fans and commentators alike are waiting to know if these changes are made. Kuldeep Yadav's name has been raised before in such circumstances but the stakes are high this time and the chance to make a difference is evident. Whether the Indian team decides to play him in the final eleven or not will be a big topic of discussion before the first ball is bowled on July 23.