Ravichandran Ashwin suggests changes to India’s playing 11 changes for ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test, backs Kuldeep Yadav

Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reckons India should not back bowlers in which the captain doesn’t have enough confidence ahead of the fifth Test match against England. Ashwin noted that Shubman Gill hardly backed Anshul Kamboj and Shardul Thakur in the first innings of the fourth Test.

While Kamboj, who was making his debut, bowled 18 overs, Thakur was given only 11 overs by Gill out of the 157.1 overs India bowled.

Ashwin highlighted that Thakur is seam-bowling all-rounder and he is not an ideal replacement for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is a batting all-rounder. 

Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “You do not have the confidence to use Kamboj or Shardul. Bowling is very different to batting. You can have a bad spell, but you can always come back. This is not the first time. Shardul wasn’t used at all at Headingley as well. If you are looking at Shardul Thakur like Nitish Reddy, then there is no point. Shardul Thakur is a bowling all-rounder, while Nitish Reddy is a batting all-rounder. If you are looking at that role and want just batting, play a batter.”

Surprisingly, Gill introduced Washington Sundar in the 68th over at Manchester, which was surprising as the off-spinner had bagged four wickets at Lord’s.

“He will have to think about one thing for sure. If he knows that he is going to give a bowler 10 overs and bring a bowler after 70 overs, does he need an extra bowler? Please ask yourself that question. If this is how you are going to utilize a certain resource, it means you have low confidence in that bowler, or you have made a mistake. If it is a mistake, correct it. But if you do not have confidence in those bowlers, change your bowlers,” Ashwin added.

Ashwin wants India to back Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI and back Sundar and Jadeja to keep delivering with the bat in the fifth Test.

Ashwin concluded, “The success story of Washington Sundar as a batter should give Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir the chance to play Kuldeep Yadav. My subscribers write in the comments that I talk a lot about Kuldeep. I don’t what what will happen at Oval, it is not the most conducive pitch for spinners right now. But we have no option. Please consider Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as batters, let them play in the top six, bring Dhruv Jurel in, and please give that opportunity to Kuldeep Yadav.”

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