India, July 2 -- India's reluctance to include Kuldeep Yadav in their playing XI for the opening Test against England at Headingley has reignited a tactical debate. Former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has weighed in with a sharp critique of the team's all-rounder strategy. Despite England's susceptibility to high-quality spin, India chose to leave Kuldeep out, opting instead for a combination that prioritised batting depth through the inclusion of Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur.

This decision is consistent with India's approach since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last year, where the team often leaned on the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, or Jadeja, and occasionally two of them, to provide a m...