Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta has suggested two changes for India in the upcoming second Test match at Edgbaston starting from June 2.
Team India started their WTC 2025-27 campaign with a loss in the first Test match against England at Headingley. The young side lost against an experienced England side with the Men in Blue missing the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli badly.
Skipper Shubman Gill, who was good with the bad was not good with his captaincy, especially with his pacers, barring Jasprit Bumrah going for a lot of runs. However, he has been backed by many former Indian players to come good in the rest of the series as captain.
Conversation With Sai Sudharsan Becomes Very Important - Deep Dasgupta
Deep Dasgupta, on the Star Sports show "Gamelplan" suggested a few changes for India heading into the second Test. He suggested a few tactical changes that India needs to make to get better results in the second Test. Dasgupta said that India can play Nitish Kumar Reddy and move up Karun Nair at three in place of Sai Sudharsan who made his Test debut at Headingley last week.
"In general, you don't want to make too many changes after the first game, but you have also got to think this is a very young side. It's a new captain, newish side. So you have got to get the combination right. Karun Nair has got most of his runs at No. 3. Also, he batted for India A against the England Lions at No. 3," Dasgupta said.
He said that dropping the southpaw might be hard just after one Test match but the management needs to have a conversation with him.
"So you might want to look at Karun Nair at No. 3. That opens up a space for someone like Nitish at No. 6, who, if required, can give you a few overs of seam. I will have a chat with Sai Sudharsan and say this is not a reflection of what happened in the first Test, but this is a combination thing. So that conversation becomes very, very important, how you put it across to someone like Sai," he added.
The southpaw scored a duck in the first innings and 30 in the second. Meanwhile, there has been a lot of talk about Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in the second Test. Dasgupta backed his selection in the discussion with Star Sports as well.
"Looking forward to Birmingham, which is usually a batting-friendly venue, I would love to see Kuldeep there. The advantage of having a top five amongst runs is that you are not too worried about contribution from your No. 8 with the bat," he said.
Also Read: ENG vs IND: Jasprit Bumrah Rested? India Train Without Lead Pacer Ahead of Crucial 2nd Test
Dasgupta Backs Kuldeep's Selection In 2nd Test
The chinaman bowler has picked up 56 wickets in 13 Test matches at an average of 22.16. Against England, he has picked up 21 wickets at an average of 22.28 in six Test matches.
