"India will have more wicket-taking options" - Harbhajan Singh suggests India's playing 11 changes after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh advised Team India to include left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the XI from the next Test after their shocking five-wicket loss in the series opener against England in Leeds. Leading India for the first time in Tests, Shubman Gill found the going tough as England chased 371 in style on the final day of the first Test.

While ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah produced a five-wicket haul in the first innings before going wicketless in the second, the rest of the Indian attack was mostly ineffective. Their lone spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, picked up only a lone wicket in 47 overs, conceding 172 runs.

Talking about the changes in the Indian lineup for the second Test, Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel (via Hindustan Times):

"The pressure is now on India because when you trail 0-1, you need to learn and move ahead. I feel Kuldeep Yadav should get a game in the next game. If he comes into the XI, India will have more wicket-taking options."

He added:

"Now who does he replace? Shardul Thakur? I had said that he needs to bowl more but he was brought into the attack when England needed some 100-120 runs. He deserves a proper opportunity. If you consider him a batter who can bowl a bit, that's incorrect. He's a bowler who can bat a bit."

Shardul Thakur endured a forgettable outing at Leeds, picking up only two wickets in 16 overs of bowling across the two innings. Meanwhile, Kuldeep has played only the lone Test in England, going wicketless in nine overs in 2018.

"Many strong and big teams have failed to win here" - Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh urged Team India to get back to winning ways to avoid the England tour from going downhill. Shubman Gill's men dominated much of the opening Test by scoring 471 and 364 in the two innings.

Yet, the bowlers were expensive in both innings, with the fielders dropping several catches that ultimately proved costly.

"This improvement must be made in the next Test. Otherwise, like I said, this is a tour of England at the end of the day. Many strong and big teams have failed to win here. If you play in a way that you get 450 runs in the first innings, and the lose, I feel it's an opportunity missed," said Harbhajan (via the aforementioned source).

Team India will look to bounce back from the heartbreaking defeat at Leeds in the second Test, starting at Edgbaston on July 2.