Washington Sundar or Kuldeep Yadav - who should India pick for ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test?

Team India are in a virtual must-win situation heading into the second Test against England at Edgbaston, starting July 2. Despite dominating most of the first Test in Headingley, the visitors could not close the deal, losing by five wickets.

A loss in Edgbaston would mean a 0-2 hole for a young Indian side with first-time Test captain Shubman Gill in the five-match series. The visitors have historically struggled at this venue, losing seven out of the eight Tests with a lone draw. Yet, all is not lost for them despite the odds being stacked against them.

For starters, India are almost certain to play a second spinner to complement Ravindra Jadeja, as confirmed by assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate in the pre-match press conference.

"There is a very strong chance of playing two spinners. It’s just which two we play. All three spinners are bowling very nicely. Washi’s batting is going very nicely. So it’s just which combination do we go with? All-rounder spinner or the out-and-out spinner?" he said (via India TV News).

However, between Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar, the think tank has the arduous task of choosing the ideal one to feature in the playing XI for the second Test.

On that note, let us break down the key factors that could dictate who, between Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar, plays the Edgbaston Test against England.

#1 Who addresses India's issues the best?

Team India's three major issues in the first Test read - lower-order collapses in both innings, a lack of penetration with the ball, and fielding lapses. Washington Sundar, being the much better batter, provides better batting depth that could potentially help India avoid another lower-order collapse.

While Kuldeep Yadav is no slouch with the bat, averaging 13.26 in his Test career, Sundar boasts an outstanding batting average of 42.54 in Tests. Yet, the former wins the battle when it comes to penetration with the ball.

Kuldeep's Test bowling average of 22.16 with four 5-wicket hauls trumps Sundar's 25.64 with a lone 5-wicket haul. Yet, the case for Kuldeep goes beyond numbers, considering the variety and mystery a left-arm chinaman bowler brings to the table compared to a finger spinner.

With India certain to play Jadeja as one of their finger spinners, another one in Sundar could deprive their XI of a more attacking spin-bowling option. While Kuldeep or Sundar's inclusion should only bolster the lineup, each one addresses one of their issues from the first Test in their own way.

Edge: Tie

#2 Who would England fear more?

When deciding between two players, a captain or management can aid their decision-making by asking who the opponent would fear more. While neither Kuldeep nor Sundar have much Test experience in English conditions, their numbers against England could offer a solution.

The Tamil Nadu off-spinner has tormented England with the bat in his three Tests against them, averaging over 90 with two half-centuries. However, Sundar's bowling has been ineffective against the English batter, with the spinner picking up only two wickets at an average of 65 (all in 2021).

Meanwhile, Kuldeep has enjoyed incredible success with the ball against England in Tests, picking up 21 wickets in six outings at an average of 22.28. Furthermore, the left-arm spinner has delivered more recently against England, with most of their batters being the same in the ongoing series.

After India went 0-1 down in last year's home series, Kuldeep played in the next four Tests and picked up 19 wickets to help the side win the series 4-1. The Indian think tank could draw parallels from that series, with the side again trailing 0-1 with four matches remaining.

Edge: Kuldeep Yadav

#3 Best fit for the venue

Predicting the pitch and weather conditions in any venue in England is arguably the hardest job in the sport. Yet, Edgbaston has consistently been one of the best batting grounds in the country over the last decade.

The average team score has been 316 in the last nine Tests at the venue, and the average totals have been in that range in all four innings. Indian fans will grudgingly remember their most recent Test at the venue when England hunted down 378 in the final innings for the loss of only three wickets.

It makes bowlers with variety and wicket-taking ability a non-negotiable option should the opportunity present itself. While finger spinners like Nathan Lyon and Ashley Giles have enjoyed success at Edgbaston, former Australian leggie Shane Warne leads the pack for wickets at the venue with 25 at an average of 21.76.

Considering the inexperience in the seam-bowling department, picking a wicket-taking spinner like Kuldeep might be their best bet to complement a more defensive spin-bowling option in Jadeja, especially at the high-scoring Edgbaston.

Edge: Kuldeep Yadav

---

Verdict: Team India must play Kuldeep Yadav over Washington Sundar in the XI for the second England Test