Rahane Urges India to Add Specialist Bowler for Manchester Test, Reflects on Lord’s Defeat

Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane, who memorably led India to a historic Test series win in Australia in 2020-21, has called for India to include an extra specialist bowler in their playing XI for the final two Tests against England. Rahane, currently in England and present during the Lord’s Test, shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, urging head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill to reconsider the balance of the team.

“To win a Test match or series, you need to take 20 wickets,” Rahane emphasized, pointing out India’s struggles to do so in the ongoing series.

India, trailing after the Lord’s loss, had opted for a batting-heavy XI, including multiple all-rounders such as Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, in an effort to deepen the batting lineup. Despite this approach, the team fell short in chasing 193, with only a few bright spots from the all-rounders.

Rahane didn’t specify whether the extra bowler should be a pacer or spinner, but many believe Kuldeep Yadav could be the natural choice given his wicket-taking ability and current form. However, replacing any of the existing all-rounders won’t be easy — Sundar took four wickets in the second innings at Lord’s, and Reddy also impressed with three wickets across the match.

Rahane Reflects on Turning Points at Lord’s

Rahane credited Ben Stokes with a pivotal moment in the match, highlighting a sharp fielding effort just before lunch that resulted in a run-out and swung momentum toward England.

“When you see only a few balls left before lunch, it’s easy to relax. But his intensity and that run-out — that’s where I felt the game changed,” Rahane said.

India had been cruising at 40/1 before Karun Nair’s LBW and the run-out shifted the balance. Rahane noted how England lifted their performance post-lunch, tightening their bowling and sharpening their fielding.

“That’s what you want to see in Test cricket — 11 players hungry to win,” Rahane said, lauding England’s collective response.

Missed Opportunity for India

Despite a late fightback, Rahane believes this was a match India should have won. He praised the first-innings partnership between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, calling their efforts “beautiful” but noted that India fell 75–100 runs short, which proved costly.

The Selection Dilemma Ahead of Manchester

As India prepare for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting July 23, team management faces a critical decision: stick with a deep batting lineup or strengthen the bowling to ensure 20 wickets. The pitch conditions and weather forecast could determine whether Kuldeep, an extra seamer, or perhaps even Ashwin (if fit), gets the nod.

While Gambhir’s preference for multi-skilled players has worked well in white-ball cricket, Rahane’s reminder underlines a basic tenet of Test cricket — you win by taking 20 wickets, not just by lengthening your batting.

With the series still alive, India’s team balance in Manchester could be the difference between a comeback and a series defeat.