Manjrekar Advocates Kuldeep Over Thakur for 2nd Test, Questions Jadeja’s Tactical Approach
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has called for a bold change in India’s playing XI ahead of the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston, starting July 2. Citing the unusually dry English summer and India’s current bowling resources, Manjrekar strongly advocated for the inclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav in place of all-rounder Shardul Thakur.
“I think Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go,” Manjrekar said during an appearance on JioHotstar. “Even in English conditions, you’ve got to pick your best bowlers. With Mohammed Shami unavailable and the pace attack lacking its usual depth, India must take a tough call — go one seamer short and bring in Kuldeep.”
Kuldeep, who has claimed 56 wickets in just 13 Tests at an impressive average of 22.16, was surprisingly left out of the XI in the opening Test at Leeds, where England chased down a challenging 371-run target to seal a five-wicket victory.
Manjrekar also emphasized that modern English summers — now drier due to climate shifts — offer more assistance to spinners than they traditionally did. “There was a time when India would play three spinners, regardless of the venue. With the current weather and pitch conditions, it’s time to reintroduce that mindset,” he noted. In contrast, he was critical of Shardul Thakur’s limited impact at Leeds. Thakur bowled only 16 overs in the match, picking up two wickets, and did little with the bat to influence the game.
Manjrekar also took a firm stance on Ravindra Jadeja’s performance, stating that the senior spinner missed a golden opportunity to utilize the rough patches effectively in Leeds. Jadeja finished the match with figures of 0 for 68 and 1 for 104 in the two innings.
“It’s understandable if young bowlers like Prasidh Krishna have areas to work on — but when it comes to someone like Jadeja, expectations are higher. He didn’t use the rough well enough, especially against Ben Duckett. It was only late in Duckett’s innings that Jadeja began targeting the rough, and by then it was too late,” Manjrekar said.
He concluded by stressing that with the pitch offering bounce and turn, a more aggressive and tactical approach from India’s spinners is needed. “When seasoned bowlers come up against experienced batters, tactical awareness becomes everything. Jadeja had something in the surface to work with — unlike the seamers — and he didn’t exploit it.” With the Edgbaston Test approaching, all eyes will be on the team management to see if they heed the calls for change, particularly in the spin department.
