India vs England fourth Test: Did India miss a trick by not picking Kuldeep Yadav?

Dubai: India may have missed a trick once again by keeping Kuldeep Yadav on the sidelines for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Despite Manchester’s reputation for being the quickest and bounciest pitch in England, the surface has changed its character since being relaid a few years ago. The prominent brown patch near the good-length area could play a bigger role than expected. The overcast conditions might have forced England to go for more pacers. But with pitches showing dry characteristics so far, the inclusion of a wrist-spinner like Kuldeep might have been a prudent choice — particularly with the fourth innings in mind.

Instead, India opted for a heavy all-rounder lineup — Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, and debutant Anshul Kambhoj. The question remains: is this the right balance?

Shardul, who had a forgettable outing in the first Test, was quickly dropped but has now been recalled due to injury-enforced changes. Meanwhile, Kuldeep — one of only three active international left-arm wrist-spinners, alongside Tabraiz Shamsi and Noor Ahmad — continues to wait on the fringes. Historically, England batters have often struggled against wrist spin, as seen with Shane Warne, Abdul Qadir, B.S. Chandrasekhar, and Yasir Shah. Kuldeep, being a left-armer, adds even more variety to India’s attack.

India could perhaps have sacrificed Sundar to accommodate Kuldeep, especially with his potential impact in the latter stages of the game. Will Kuldeep feature at all in this series?

In another big selection call, Karun Nair was dropped to accommodate Sai Sudharsan — a move that raised eyebrows, given Karun showed glimpses of form in his comeback.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed Washington Sundar strongly in recent months, and the 25-year-old has become a consistent feature across formats. Former coach Ravi Shastri, speaking on The ICC Review, also threw his weight behind Sundar, calling him a long-term all-rounder option in Tests.

“I always loved Washington. When I saw him on day one, I said he’s the man. And he can be a genuine all-rounder for many, many years for India,” said Shastri.

Sundar impressed again at Lord’s, scoring a composed 23 off 76 balls and returning figures of 4/22 in the second innings — though it wasn’t enough to prevent a 22-run defeat.

Shastri, who handed Sundar his Test debut during India’s iconic 2021 Gabba win, believes he deserves far more red-ball exposure.

“He’s just 25. I think he should’ve played a lot more Test cricket. He can be lethal in India on turning tracks — as New Zealand found out in 2024, when he was joint top wicket-taker with 16 wickets in four innings.”

Meanwhile, India lost yet another toss — their 14th straight across formats — and were put in to bat under overcast skies. England made one forced change, bringing in Liam Dawson for the injured Shoaib Bashir, marking Dawson’s return to Test cricket after eight years.

India, for their part, made three changes: Shardul and Kambhoj came in for the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep, while Sai Sudharsan replaced Karun Nair.

Speaking ahead of the Test, captain Shubman Gill admitted that Karun Nair had endured a tough time, but maintained the batter was not out of form.

“We’ve had conversations with him. He’s been batting well. In the first match, he didn’t bat at his usual number. It’s tough for someone making a comeback in a series like this,” Gill said.

“Sometimes, it’s about getting that one innings to click. Once you cross 50, you’re back in the zone. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened for him so far. But we’re still hopeful.”

Still, Karun was dropped for the crucial Test. The 32-year-old had raised expectations with a double century for India A against England Lions but couldn’t replicate that form in the main series. In three Tests, he has scored only 131 runs at an average of 21.83. His dismissals — particularly at Lord’s, where he edged Ben Stokes on 40 and later misjudged a Brydon Carse delivery — attracted criticism. England have two good spinners in Dawson and Joe Root, who could prove a handy with a bit of assistance from the pitch.

With India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, the selection decisions in Manchester could prove decisive. Whether the Kuldeep call backfires — and whether Karun gets another shot — are questions that may linger by the end of this Test.

As India brace for a must-win fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday, attention is set to shift toward an untested but promising name in the squad — Anshul Kamboj. The 24-year-old pacer from Haryana is widely tipped to make his debut in Manchester amid a growing injury crisis that has disrupted India’s seam-bowling arsenal.

Kamboj’s call-up comes on the back of injuries to Akash Deep — the hero of India’s Edgbaston win — who is now nursing a groin strain, and Arshdeep Singh, who injured his hand during training in Beckenham. With Jasprit Bumrah playing under workload restrictions and Mayank Yadav also ruled out with a recurring back issue, the team has turned to Kamboj to bolster its depleted attack.

The youngster, who caught the eye with his consistent red-ball performances and IPL stint with Chennai Super Kings, has already earned praise from his CSK teammate and former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, who sees shades of Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah in the debutant’s approach.

“The appreciable thing about Anshul is that he understands the plan and knows how to execute it,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Zaheer Khan had that trait. Among the current lot, Jassi [Bumrah] has it. I’m not comparing skills, but Anshul belongs to that variety.”

Kamboj played two matches for India A against the England Lions earlier this year, picking up five wickets with his ability to move the ball and hit the right lengths consistently. He also had a standout Ranji season, including a ten-wicket haul in an innings, and impressed during IPL 2025 with eight wickets from eight matches for CSK.

Ashwin added: “He has a very good tappa [length], a strong wrist position, and upright seam. He never leaves his tappa. If Anshul plays alongside Bumrah and Siraj, that’s a serious attack. People will question his experience, but he’s been on the A tour and is averaging around 13 in first-class cricket.”

Meanwhile, former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes the recurring injuries to young Indian pacers are a “serious issue” that needs urgent attention.

“With the IPL, white-ball cricket, and Tests, we just don’t have our fast bowlers staying fit long enough,” Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo. “Akash Deep is a glaring example. Mayank Yadav’s case is also worrying. These are exciting bowlers, but they aren’t able to sustain fitness through a season.”

India, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, have little room for error heading into the Manchester Test. While Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj lead the attack, the potential inclusion of Kamboj offers both risk and promise. But with Ashwin’s endorsement and a strong red-ball record behind him, the debutant might just be the wildcard India need.

— With inputs from agencies