After a loss in the third India vs England Test, Shubman Gill and Co. knows fully well that the fourth Test in Manchester that starts on July 23 is must-win one for the side if they want to harbour any hope of winning the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India failed to chase a 193-run target in the third Test despite having a partcularly long batting line-up which had middle-lower order allrounders like Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar. Now, former Australia captain Michael Clarke has suggested the Indian cricket team management to bring in Kuldeep Yadav for the fourth Test.
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav is yet to play a game in the series.
"India can hold their heads high, particularly Jadeja, but again, look, I have said it openly. I would still like to see Kuldeep Yadav in that XI. Bring him in. But now I don't know how. Washington Sundar bowled brilliantly, scored some handy runs. Jadeja's batting has been phenomenal. He has saved India on a number of occasions, won India games on a number of occasions. I think if we had somebody hold the other end and didn't get out, he would have gotten them home. I felt for him. And, I felt for India as well. Games like that you would," he said on the Beyond23 Podcast.
With the series on the line and India trailing 2-1, all eyes are on Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the crucial fourth Test at Manchester.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has offered some clarity, saying the team is leaning towards playing the star pacer, but a final call will only be made in Manchester.
India lost a nail-biting Test at Lord's by 22 runs, and Bumrah's presence is expected to be key as the visitors look to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
"No, we'll make that call (on Bumrah) in Manchester still," India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It's pretty obvious that the series on the line now in Manchester so there will be a leaning towards playing him," he added.
"But again, we have got to look at all the factors: how many days of cricket are we going to get up there, what do we feel is our best chance of winning that game, and then how that fits in together with The Oval. And looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series," he noted.
Bumrah came into the England tour with a carefully crafted plan, designed with inputs from the BCCI medical team to feature in only three of the five Tests, in order to manage his workload after back surgery in March. He sat out the second Test at Edgbaston despite a full week's break between matches, a move that drew criticism from many, including former India coach Ravi Shastri.
At Lord's, where Bumrah returned, he showed his class once again, picking up seven wickets including a fiery five-for in the first innings. With another eight-day gap before the Manchester Test, the pressure is now on the team management to strike the right balance between performance and player wellbeing.