Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 5 (ANI): Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Friday said that not picking left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI for the first Test was a “ridiculous decision” from India.
Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar were added to the squad after all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the first Test of the four-match series against England.
Nadeem was subsequently picked in the playing XI ahead of Kuldeep and many fans and cricket pundits were fumed at this decision.
Vaughan questioned the decision of not picking the left-arm spinner and said if Kuldeep will not play in India then where will he play.
“Ridiculous decision by #India not to play @imkuldeep18!!! If he isn’t going to play at home with the injuries they have when is he going to play !!! #INDvENG,” Vaughan tweeted.
Meanwhile, England batsman Dom Sibley and skipper Joe Root have taken the visitors to a solid position after losing two quick wickets in the first session on day one of the opening Test.
In the second session, visitors did not lose any wickets and added 73 runs. Indian bowlers tried to break the ongoing third-wicket partnership between Sibley and Root but failed to do so.
Indian bowlers, including Ishant Sharma, Bumrah, and Nadeem, failed to find a rhythm as they bowled three no-balls each while going for wickets.
Earlier in the day, India didn’t have a good start in the first Test. But in the 24th over, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin brought the hosts back in the game and scalped Burns, who played a knock of 33 runs. Bumrah then sent Dan Lawrence back to the pavilion on a duck. (ANI)