After a disappointing start to the England tour, where India went down by five wickets in the first Test at Headingley, the team management was bound to make changes in the lineup to bounce back at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had mentioned that two spinners will be fielded in the 2nd Test, although the Dutchman did not drop any names ahead of the game.
While many believed that Kuldeep Yadav would join Ravindra Jadeja in the lineup, it was Washington Sundar who ultimately made the starting XI.
📲 Follow The Sporting News India on WhatsApp
At the toss, captain Shubman Gill confirmed the three changes in the lineup. Jasprit Bumrah missed out on the game as expected, while Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur were also dropped. Akash Deep, Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar replaced the trio.
Why was Kuldeep Yadav not picked at Edgbaston? Shubman Gill explains
Explaining the management's decision to omit Yadav from the playing eleven, Gill said: "Jasprit Bumrah is not playing just to manage his workload. Third Test being at Lord's, we think there'll be more in that pitch, so we'll use him there. We were tempted to play Kuldeep (Yadav), but decided to add some depth to the batting."
READ: India vs England playing XI for Edgbaston Test
While a seasoned campaigner like Yadav would have certainly benefitted India, Sundar is someone who can make an all-round contribution and add depth to the batting lineup.
The Indian tail did struggle in the first Test, which eventually cost them the game. From 430/3 in the first innings, the visitors were bowled out for 471 runs.
What next for the Indian cricket team?
Shubman Gill lost the toss at Edgbaston as Ben Stokes decided to send the visitors to bat first. India would hope to make solid start and put up a competitive total on board in the first innings.