India vs England fourth Test, Day 1: Did India miss a trick by not picking Kuldeep Yadav?

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.

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.

“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.”

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 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.”

“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.

From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.

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