India’s dramatic loss in the first Test at Headingley has sparked intense debate about team selection and bowling strategy. With the second Test against England at Edgbaston looming, former Australia captain and ex-India coach Greg Chappell has made headlines by declaring Kuldeep Yadav “possibly the best wristspinner since Shane Warne” in his article for ESPNcricinfo and urging his inclusion to revive India’s fortunes.

Kuldeep Yadav: An X-factor for India

Chappell’s assessment comes at a time when the Indian team’s lack of bowling variety was brutally exposed. At Headingley, India fielded only one frontline spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who struggled to make a decisive impact on a final-day pitch that offered turn. Chappell, writing in his column, didn’t mince words: “Jadeja is not a front-line spinner in English conditions. If his batting is considered good enough, he can be a support spinner; otherwise a rethink is necessary. If India are to reverse their fortunes in this series then a better balanced team is required.”

Chappell’s solution is clear: bring in Kuldeep, whose left-arm wrist spin brings the unpredictability and wicket-taking threat that India sorely missed.

“There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn’t available to Shubman Gill with his current crop… Kuldeep Yadav, possibly the best wristspinner since Shane Warne, should be included in the attack,” Chappell wrote.

Kuldeep’s unique skill set—his ability to turn the ball both ways and deceive batters in the air—stands in contrast to India’s current attack, which Chappell criticized for being too uniform and predictable. Without Jasprit Bumrah, Chappell also advocated for adding left-armer Arshdeep Singh, further underlining the need for variety and unpredictability in the bowling lineup.

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Kuldeep’s Test record and the England challenge

Kuldeep’s statistics back up Chappell’s bold endorsement. With 56 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 22.16, the 30-year-old has proven himself as a genuine match-winner. His recent performances against England have been particularly impressive: during the 2024 home series, he took 19 wickets in four Tests, including a Player-of-the-Match display in Dharamsala. Even though those were Indian pitches, they did not offer the excessive turn of the past, making his achievements even more significant.

What makes Kuldeep especially dangerous for England is his ability to exploit rough patches and sow doubt in the minds of aggressive batters. England’s “Bazball” approach thrives on unsettling bowlers, but wrist-spin — especially of Kuldeep’s quality — brings a level of uncertainty that finger spinners like Jadeja cannot match. In fact, England’s batters played a record number of reverse-sweeps against Jadeja in Leeds, a tactic far riskier against a wrist-spinner with Kuldeep’s guile.

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