ENG vs IND 2025: I would certainly have wanted to see Kuldeep Yadav in playing XI at Lord’s – Anil Kumble

Kuldeep Yadav’s wait to play his 14th Test match continued as India decided to stick to spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the playing XI for the third Test at Lord’s. The Uttar Pradesh spinner has not played a Test match for India since October 2024.

Former India captain Anil Kumble said that he would have liked to have seen Kuldeep playing at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. He feels that the 30-year-old should have also been picked in the side for the second Test at Edgbaston last week.

“I would certainly have wanted to have someone like a Kuldeep (Yadav) in the side. Even in the last game, I thought Kuldeep would have certainly been a part of it. But (Jasprit) Bumrah coming back, no-brainer. You need to be playing him in the XI and unfortunately, Prasidh (Krishna) misses out. What’s really good is all three fast bowlers have picked up a fifer already in two Test matches that’s gone so far. So that should give a lot of confidence to the bowling attack,” Kumble told ESPNcricinfo.

Kumble opined that it is too early to consider Sundar as a frontline spin-bowling option despite the fact that he took the wicket of England captain Ben Stokes in the third Test.

“Even the spinners hardly bowled. Washington Sundar hardly bowled, yes he got the crucial wicket of Ben Stokes. (Ravindra) Jadeja picked up a couple of wickets. But three all-rounders, all three of them, Jadeja is the bowling all-rounder, so to speak,” Kumble said.

“It is too early for us to speak about Washington (Sundar). He’s had a good series against New Zealand as a spinner. But I would certainly look at someone like Kuldeep (Yadav), if you are looking at two spinners he’s your frontline spinner especially overseas,” the bowling legend added.

India certainly not looking at Kuldeep as an attacking option: Kumble

Kumble reckoned that Kuldeep could have played a crucial role for India in the latter stages of the Lord’s Test. He urged the management to understand the Kanpur-born’s potential as an attacking option.

“You need a frontline spinner and Kuldeep (Yadav) would certainly be the number one spinner in this line-up and especially with the way pitches are nowadays in England. Lord’s look a good surface. It has always been a decent surface and it probably helps the spinners come into the game in the second half of the Test match but Kuldeep, especially the way England batters look to play he will be an attacking option and India certainly not looking at Kuldeep as an attacking option,” Kumble said.