‘Comfort Picks’ and ‘Illusionary All-Rounders’ Slammed as India Urged to Choose Proven Performers Before Reality Strikes

Manjrekar cautioned Team India against relying on ‘illusionary all-rounders’ and urged them to back Kuldeep Yadav for the Edgbaston Test.

Manjrekar Criticizes India’s “Illusionary All-Rounder” Strategy, Backs Kuldeep for Edgbaston

India’s decision to leave out Kuldeep Yadav for the opening Test against England at Headingley has sparked fresh criticism, with former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar questioning the team’s reliance on all-rounders over specialist bowlers. Despite England’s known vulnerability against quality spin, India opted for a lineup prioritizing batting depth—choosing Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur while excluding the in-form wrist-spinner.

This strategy mirrors India’s approach during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where the team frequently backed players like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Jadeja to strengthen the lower-order batting. While that may have been justified on pace-friendly pitches, Manjrekar believes India is now relying on “illusionary all-rounders” who offer batting assurance but lack genuine bowling impact.

“It’s a nice comforting feel—what I call illusionary all-rounders,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo. “It just feels better having them in the team until reality hits. That happened in Australia, and it’s unfortunate that people think like that about Kuldeep Yadav.”

Urging India to rethink their approach against an aggressive Bazball-style England, Manjrekar emphasized Kuldeep’s value as a match-winner: “You don’t see how a pure bowler or a wicket-taker like Kuldeep gives a team the edge. Bazball thrives on momentum, but Kuldeep isn’t easy for many English batters to attack.”

He added, “If an exceptional wicket-taker gets you four wickets, the opposition may score 150 runs fewer. Pick someone for batting who isn’t a wicket-taker, and you’ll only get 1–2 wickets—and no major dent in the total.”

Reliable spin option

Kuldeep Yadav has evolved into a more dependable red-ball bowler over the past year, showcasing his ability to extract sharp turn even on pace-friendly surfaces. His refined control and knack for breaking partnerships with attacking deliveries make him a potent option—especially when a team needs to disrupt an opponent’s momentum.

In Leeds, India’s bowling lacked sustained pressure, with only Jasprit Bumrah providing real threat. With Bumrah’s availability for the Edgbaston Test under question due to workload management, India’s need for a genuine wicket-taking spinner becomes more pressing. Kuldeep’s inclusion could offer the control and cutting edge needed to counter England’s aggressive “Bazball” style and restore balance to India’s attack.

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