India's XI for the second Test also saw some major changes, particularly in the bowling department. Jasprit Bumrah having been rested due to workload management, the management played with a combination that included Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar as the spinners with fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.
Nitish Kumar Reddy was also added, in place of Shardul Thakur, to add strength to the batting and the all-rounders. This selection is proof of a cautious approach by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, who seem to prefer batting depth and all-round equilibrium over having a specialist spinner in Kuldeep.
But the choice hasn't been that well received by fans and former players. Social media was abuzz with the criticism of Gambhir and Gill for robbing Kuldeep of his deserving spot in light of his proven match-winning potential. Fans were dismayed that the talent of Kuldeep is being deprived in light of players who don't contribute to the ball that much, something which may be against the interest of India to mount a series comeback in Edgbaston.
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Kuldeep's Test career has been a patchwork of opportunities but mind-boggling performances. Since his debut in 2017, Kuldeep has played only 13 Tests, mainly because of the consistent presence of now-retired spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Despite the limited chances, Kuldeep Shoulders an amazing record of 56 wickets in an average of 22.16 with a strike rate of 37.3
which only substantiates the fact that he is an excellent strike bowler. His left-arm wristspin provides an extra dimension to India's bowling attack, especially on pitches like Edgbaston which favor spinners with the game being on.
