Former Indian Test opener Navjot Singh Sidhu has backed Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion in the fifth Test match against England. Sidhu expressed his surprise that Yadav hasn’t played a single game so far in the first four Test matches of the series.

The former Indian batter noted that Yadav has more Test wickets than Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. Yadav has scalped 56 wickets in 13 Test matches at an impressive average of 22.16. Against England, Kuldeep has bagged 21 wickets in six Test matches at an impressive average of 22.28 but he hasn’t been given his chance in the first four Test matches.

“If you talk about Shardul, or even Washington, Kuldeep has more wickets than them. I think Kuldeep should play at number eight. At The Oval, on day three and four, when the surface is scruffed up, a wrist-spinner will be key. If you want to level the series, your team needs to be solid. And Kuldeep is no mug with the bat. During a Test in Ranchi, Kuldeep had a partnership with Dhruv Jurel. People like Kuldeep can even turn a ball on a glass top. He can win you games anywhere. It is such a big psychological advantage. How can you lose it?,” Sidhu said on his YouTube channel. 

“It is very important for Kuldeep to get into the side. He made his debut in 2017, picked up 9 wickets. He is a wrist-spinner. Did you ever think of Australia without Shane Warne? Or Gavaskar would get on without L Sivaramakrishnan? Whenever England played, he would directly play. This guy took 19 wickets in the last series when England came here. There should not be a compromise now to increase the batting,” he reckoned. 

India has adopted the strategy of including three all-rounders in the team and has paid more importance to batting depth in the ongoing series.

Sidhu wants Jasprit Bumrah to play the fifth Test as the series is on the line. Bumrah has taken 14 wickets in three Test matches of the series at an average of 26 but his selection is doubtful for the fifth game.

“I feel the team will be without Bumrah, Pant, Shardul, Anshul Kamboj. No hard feelings. Although I feel Bumrah must play. He must also take inspiration from Pant, who played with a fractured toe. I accept we have to preserve him. But in the last game, he bowled in just one innings. The series is on the line. Bumrah should play. But if not, I feel Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj should play with Kuldeep,” he said. 

The fifth and final Test match between England and India will be played at the Kennington Oval, London, from 31st July onwards.