With India trailing England 1–2 in the five-Test Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has urged head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill to strengthen the bowling attack for the upcoming match in Manchester, scheduled from July 23. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Rahane highlighted India’s need to secure 20 wickets to win Test matches, stating, “India should look to add one extra bowler” .

At Lord’s, the Indian bowling unit included only three specialist seamers - Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep - with support from all-rounders Jadeja, Sundar, and Nitish Reddy . Rahane argued that batting becomes significantly harder on Days 4 and 5, and emphasised that a balanced attack is vital to dethatch the defensive English line-up.

The likely adjustment will see Nitish Reddy make way for left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, aligning with Rahane’s call for a more potent bowling arsenal . With Manchester now a must-win, the selectors face a crucial decision—will they heed Rahane’s advice and opt for spin reinforcement?