Kuldeep Yadav was left out of India’s playing XI for the ENG vs IND 1st ODI at Edgbaston on July 14, with the think-tank choosing spin all-rounders over a specialist wrist-spinner. The move, aimed at stretching batting depth, drew instant pushback from former players as England chose to bat after winning the toss.
Why India benched Kuldeep for the opener
India unveiled their XI at the toss, pivoting to Washington Sundar and Axar Patel as the two spin options. Skipper Shubman Gill confirmed a seam-heavy core supported by all-rounders, instead of the Kuldeep-led middle-overs threat.
The pace unit featured Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar. Up the order, India fielded Rohit Sharma, Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, with Shivam Dube adding seam and hitting power. England, led by Harry Brook on the day, opted to bat first.
Form concerns that hurt Kuldeep’s case
Kuldeep’s recent ODI returns did not help. In the three-match series against New Zealand in January, he managed 3 wickets, one in each encounter. He was part of India’s previous ODI series against Afghanistan in June but was picked only for the 2nd game, where he went wicketless.
He also could not get any wickets in the only ODI he played against Afghanistan last month. Earlier, he had been left out of the T20I squads for Ireland and England, and back-to-back series defeats had prompted calls for specialists over bits-and-pieces cricketers. The team, however, stuck to its longer batting template.
Criticism of a conservative template
Abhishek Nayar, former India assistant coach and current KKR head coach, questioned the omission minutes after the toss. You want batting depth, but not at the expense of taking wickets. At the end of the day, you win games by picking up wickets, Nayar said on JioHotstar.
In this line-up, you’ve got Prasidh Krishna, who can take wickets, and Jasprit Bumrah, who can take wickets. Gurnoor Brar is an unknown quantity at this level, and we’re hopeful he’ll do well, he added, arguing that India’s other bowling options looked more economical than attacking.
Former India batter Parthiv Patel called the selection defensive. This is a defensive move, he said, echoing Nayar’s view that Kuldeep’s middle-overs X-factor was missing. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India have consistently prioritised a long batting list alongside four frontline bowlers.
Gill’s explanation and the planned balance
Gill revealed India also wanted to bowl first. Actually, we’re looking to bowl first, he said, adding that most players arrived from T20s while others rested and trained. The environment, the vibe has been really good.
The captain, excited to lead again in England, said: Yeah, very excited for the series, have some really good memories in this venue particularly. He detailed the balance:
[On the playing XI]
So apart from the usual, we have got four seamers, with Dube and then we’ve got two spinners, Axar
[Patel]
and Washington
[Sundar]
.
Early signs and what it means for the series
England’s choice to bat first set the tone, but India struck through Brar, who removed Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett to provide the opening two breakthroughs. Those wickets briefly validated the seam-first approach even as the debate on spin firepower persisted.
Here are the key takeaways from India’s call at Edgbaston:
– Spin all-rounders preferred over Kuldeep’s wrist-spin
– Batting depth prioritised across positions
– Middle-overs wicket threat seen as a trade-off
The bigger question ahead
India’s fifth-bowler duties sit with Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube, while Axar Patel, Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar form the frontline core. Whether that blend regularly produces wickets will shape the rest of this three-match ODI series after the recent five-match T20I whitewash.
For Kuldeep, the path back likely hinges on what India value more in the middle overs: control or incision. For now, the management has made its bet.
