Sunil Gavaskar calls for shake-up as Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair enter radar after Leeds flop: If 2nd Test goes wrong…

Sunil Gavaskar urged changes after India’s Leeds loss, suggesting two tweaks to the XI but advised one only if they go 0-2 down in the Birmingham Test.

India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has called for a shake-up after the five-wicket loss in Leeds against England in the first Test match of the five-game series. Gavaskar suggested two changes in the playing XI but only advised forcing the second change if India go 0-2 down in the series in Birmingham, where the second Test match will be played starting July 2.

Sunil Gavaskar made an underrated pick 'if 2nd Test goes wrong' for India

Gavaskar was not quite impressed with Shardul Thakur, who returned to the playing XI after two years. Thakur earned a call-up to the Test squad after an impressive all-around show in the Ranji Trophy tournament last season.

The Mumbai star had gone wicketless in the first innings for 38 runs, where he bowled just six overs. In the second innings, he gave India a real shot at grabbing the momentum when he dismissed Ben Stokes and Harry Brook in successive deliveries. He scored just five runs in 20 balls across the two innings with the bat.

With the proceedings heading to Birmingham next week, Gavaskar reckoned India should include Kuldeep Yadav in the XI instead of the all-rounder.

"Whether Jasprit Bumrah is fit or not, I think Kuldeep Yadav has to come into the team. I do believe that he should come into the team for Shardul Thakur because the Birmingham pitch will be one where there will be just a little bit of help for the wrist spinner," Gavaskar told the broadcasters on Tuesday.

The leg-spinner, however, has played just one Test match before in England, back in 2018, at Lord's, where he went wicketless.

'If 2nd Test goes wrong…'

After their underwhelming show in Leeds, Gavaskar also put Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair on the radar. Both were dismissed for a duck in the first innings, which sparked a collapse from 430 for three to 471 all out.

Although Gavaskar is not quite keen to drop them immediately, he felt that if India also lose in Birmingham, spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar could be added to the XI to strengthen both departments.

"If things don't go well in the second test, maybe Sai (Sudharsan) and Karun (Nair). I don't want to drop them at the moment. Then I'd also look at Washington (Sundar), so that it really gives you a more solid batting, and also get a little more variety as far the bowling is concerned," he commented.