"There was no need for fourth fast bowler" - Legendary spinner claims India made massive selection blunder in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Ravichandran Ashwin believes India got their combination wrong in the recently concluded Test series opener against England at Headingley, Leeds. The visitors suffered a five-wicket defeat, failing to defend a mammoth 371-run target in the fourth innings.

He opined that India didn't need a fourth seamer in the playing XI, as Shardul Thakur was used sparingly by skipper Shubman Gill. The right-arm pacer bowled just 16 overs across two innings.

Suggesting that India could have played an extra spinner in place of Shardul, here's what Ashwin said in the latest YouTube video of his channel, 'Ashwin' (from 3:14):

"There is a big chance for Kuldeep to be played in the XI. I simply adore Shardul Thakur, but if he is not going to bowl at all till the 40th over in the 1st innings, and used sparingly in the Test... it means there was no need for the fourth fast bowler, and you could have instead played a second spinner."

Explaining why playing Kuldeep at Headingley would have been a better option, the legendary spinner added (from 5:18):

"Honestly, there were a lot of chances for Kuldeep to have played this Test. We have seen high-scoring chases at Leeds. Say, for instance, today, Crawley and Duckett had a 150-run opening partnership. If Kuldeep had a bowl at them... of course, I am not saying he would have returned with a fifer. If he had ended up with 3/80, and Jadeja picked up 2/70, the game was over. If England was at 80/1, and if we could have gotten a couple more breakthroughs, the game would have been over."

Shardul remained wicketless in England's first innings and claimed two sclaps in the run chase. The bowling all-rounder failed to deliver a significant impact with the bat, registering scores of 1 and 4.

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"I am not for it" - Ravichandran Ashwin on the idea of India using Nitish Kumar Reddy as a genuine batter in ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Ravichandran Ashwin opined that making Nitish Kumar Reddy bat in the top six on the England tour would not be the right call. He pointed out that the youngster usually batted at No. 5 or No. 6 during the Border-Gavaskar Trohpy series against Australia.

It is worth mentioning that Nitish was not part of India's playing XI for the Test series opener against England. The 38-year-old remarked in the video (from 18:12):

"Nitish had a good run in Australia and a somewhat okayish IPL. Also, he only played the role of Shardul, the bowler, and didn't bat in the top 6. He batted down the order. Would you play him directly in England as a Top 6 batter? I am not for it."

Nitish did a commendable job in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which was also his debut Test series. He was India's second-highest run-getter in the five-match series, amassing 298 runs across nine innings at an average of 37.25. He also picked up five wickets with the ball.

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Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai