India should pick Arshdeep, Kuldeep to add variety in bowling attack, says Greg Chappell
India lost at Headingley by five wickets in Shubman Gill's debut Test as captain where they dropped at least eight catches and were too reliant on Jasprit Bumrah for wickets.
New Delhi: India's defeat to England in the first Test was self inflicted resulting from a combination of blunt bowling as well as poor fielding, believes Greg Chappell, who called for inclusion of Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav in the attack for the second Test.
India lost at Headingley by five wickets in Shubman Gill's debut Test as captain where they dropped at least eight catches and were too reliant on Jasprit Bumrah for wickets.
But Chappell observed that rather than fielding, it is the similarity of their seamers apart from Bumrah that restricted India's chances.
"As disappointing as the fielding in Headingley was, it was not the main reason India lost the Test. Most of India's problems were self-inflicted. Perhaps the most expensive error was the no-ball that gave Harry Brook an early life in the second innings," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.
India picked Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur as their seam bolwing options with Ravindra Jadeja as their spin bowling option.
But apart from Bumrah none looked threatening as England chased down 371 runs for their second highest chase in Tests.
"More concerning to me, though, is the lack of variety in the bowling attack. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India's seamers are too similar - all right-arm, medium-fast, operating at comparable angles," the former India coach said.
"There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop."
Too add contrast to their attack, India must look to include left-arm seamer Arshdeep and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep for the second match at Edgbaston from July 2.
"Without Bumrah, I'd like to see left-armer Arshdeep Singh added to the mix and Kuldeep Yadav, possibly the best wrist spinner since Shane Warne, included in the attack," he said.
'Need more discipline'
Chappell said since the decision to play with Jadeja to add greater depth to batting didn't work out, now the Indian selectors are under pressure to get the balance right.
"Even with Bumrah in the mix, the rest of the attack has to be more disciplined. I didn't see two consecutive balls land in a dangerous place. They were either too full, too short or too wide.
Bowlers have to work in partnerships as much as batters. All England have to do at present is to see off Bumrah and they know the pressure will go with him," he said.
"The selectors are the ones under pressure now. If batters and bowlers have to be prepared to take risks to score runs and take wickets, they too have to have the courage to take bold decisions."