Sourav Ganguly Raises Serious Questions On Gambhir's India XI vs England

The Indian cricket team combination for the second Test against England was a hot topic of debate on Wednesday with the side having three new names - Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep. The trio did not play the first Test in Leeds. There was anticipation that in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav might get a chance for the second Test in Birmingham. However, that was not the case as Jadeja and Sundar were included as the two spinners. Sourav Ganguly raised genuine concerns over the two spinners who are playing.  

"I am not sure whether India are playing their two best spinners. England have fielded first, I am surprised with that. I think this is India's best possible chance at the moment. Put runs on the board and hopefully it works out," Sourav Ganguly said during the Tea break on Day 1 of the 1st India vs England Test.

Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricket team captain, was unhappy with the side's combination for the second Test against England that started in Birmingham on Wednesday.

"I'm a little baffled that Kuldeep wasn't picked, because on a pitch like this, where everybody says there's a little more turn," said on Sony Sports (via Sportskeeda)

"If your top-order batters are not giving you the runs you expect, then Washington at seven or Nitish Reddy at eight won't necessarily fix that, because those weren't the batters who failed you in the first Test. You scored 830 runs. You didn't score 380 in two innings — it was 830-plus. That's a lot of runs.

"So, where you needed strengthening was in the wicket-taking department, not so much in the batting."

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed disbelief at India's decision to rest a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against England, asserting that the pace spearhead should not have been given the option to sit out of a crucial game. India, enduring a rough patch in Test cricket since October last year, have managed just one win in their last nine matches, marking their worst run in over a decade. Shubman Gill and his men lost the opening Test against England by five wickets in Leeds.

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