Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has called for Kuldeep Yadav’s addition and Shardul Thakur’s exclusion from the Indian playing XI for the second Test against England, slated to be held at Edgbaston from July 2.

Manjrekar’s comment came after India suffered a five-wicket defeat in the series opener at Headingley. The visitors failed to defend a 371-run target, conceding a 1-0 lead in the five-Test rubber.

India’s bowling attack, barring Jasprit Bumrah, looked pedestrian. Shardul also failed to make a mark as a seam-bowling all-rounder, claiming two wickets and scoring five runs across the two innings.

“Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out. That is one change India will have to make. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy — I backed him for the first Test purely based on what he did in Australia,” Manjrekar said on 'Match Centre Live'.

“It’s an unpopular choice, because when he comes in, the balance does get affected a bit. He won’t quite bowl like a fourth seamer, so India need to take a hard call: even in English conditions, they must go with quality bowlers.”

“If that means playing two spinners, so be it. Pick your best bowlers, irrespective of the conditions. You don’t have the luxury of someone like Mohammed Shami available, or the full-strength pace battery, so I’d go one seamer short and bring Kuldeep into the XI. He has to play,” he added.

Manjrekar also advocated for playing with two frontline spinners due to the English conditions being less seam friendly in recent times.

“Let’s also acknowledge that English summers these days are largely dry — thanks to global warming, perhaps — and that does open the door for spin. In a way, it’s time to reintroduce the idea of India playing spin in England. Ben Stokes has already changed the narrative with common-sense, aggressive cricket. India need to embrace the same clarity,” he said.

“There was a time when India would play three spinners no matter what — whether in New Zealand or England. If Kuldeep is in your squad, play him. Don’t go with seamers just because you’re playing in England. I’d drop one seamer and bring in Kuldeep Yadav,” Manjrekar remarked.