Edgbaston, June 27:As India gear up for the Edgbaston Test, the spotlight is beginning to shine brighter on a name that has curiously remained on the bench—Kuldeep Yadav. In the wake of a chastening defeat at Headingley, there’s a growing chorus to unleash the left-arm wrist-spinner against England’s much-hyped Bazball approach. And for good reason: Kuldeep might just be the weapon England haven’t faced—or figured out.
England’s Blind Spot: Wrist Spin
Since the summer of 2021, England have hosted 27 Tests. Across those, they’ve faced a grand total of six deliveries of wrist spin—and all from Steve Smith, a part-time option, at Lord’s last year. In essence, Bazball’s rise in England has occurred in an environment completely devoid of the mystery and guile that quality wrist spinners bring.
This isn’t entirely surprising. In modern Test cricket, wrist spinners are a rare breed. Only four have taken more than 20 Test wickets since 2021—Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed, England’s Rehan Ahmed, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, and Kuldeep Yadav himself.
The county circuit offers little help either. England’s domestic batters rarely face quality wrist spin, with no leggie averaging under 30 in first-class cricket.
Rehan Ahmed, England’s own leg-spinner, averages over 42 in red-ball cricket. Matt Parkinson, perhaps the most skilled wrist-spinner in the country, hovers just above 31. The numbers are underwhelming—and telling. England’s batters, under the Bazball philosophy, have simply not been exposed to wrist spin under home conditions.
Kuldeep’s Case Grows Stronger
In contrast, Kuldeep has enjoyed a remarkable run in recent times, particularly against England. In the 2024 home series, he bagged 19 wickets at an average of 20.15 across four Tests, often being the difference-maker even when operating alongside the seasoned duo of Ashwin and Jadeja.
His omission from the Headingley XI, in hindsight, now appears to be a significant misstep.
On a final day that saw England decimate India’s third and fourth seamers at over six runs per over, Kuldeep’s variation and flight might have offered a much-needed shift in tempo. Jadeja, too, looked unusually ineffective, conceding over 100 runs in the fourth innings for the first time in his Test career.
The usual argument against Kuldeep has always been his inferior batting skills—particularly away from home. But India might now have a solution. Youngster Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed in Australia, can potentially fill the No.7 slot as a proper batter.
This opens the door for India to slot Kuldeep in at eight, replacing someone like Shardul Thakur. Another viable approach could be playing both Jadeja and Kuldeep together, adding depth in spin and batting.
Kuldeep on England: “One Cannot Relax”
Kuldeep himself appears mentally prepared for the challenge of countering Bazball’s hyper-aggressive mindset. In a recent interview with RevSportz, he explained, “The only thing is that one has to be very alert all the time and stay focused. Unlike other teams, with England, one cannot relax and play defensive. England bat in a very aggressive manner, so one has to plan overs accordingly.”
That aggressive approach calls for similarly attacking options in the bowling department—and few are more attacking by nature than a wrist-spinner. Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also weighed in after the Headingley loss, calling for India to pick their best bowlers, conditions notwithstanding.
“If that means playing two spinners, so be it,” he said. “Let’s also acknowledge that English summers these days are largely dry – thanks to global warming, perhaps – and that does open the door for spin.”
The Edgbaston Dilemma
Edgbaston, traditionally, has not been friendly to spinners—particularly under the Bazball era. The average for spinners there since 2022 stands at a high 50.47. This might make India hesitant to pick two spinners. However, Jadeja’s unimpressive Test average in England—48.07 from over 20 innings—makes a compelling case for at least considering a switch.
Kuldeep brings to the table an unknown threat, something England haven’t had to decode under their current setup.
It’s a gamble, sure, but so was Bazball at one point. And as things stand, India need to disrupt the rhythm of a batting unit that seems to be thriving on familiarity. (Agencies)
