Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin has advised Shubman Gill, India’s Test captain, to adopt a more aggressive strategy and take risks in the second Test against England in Birmingham, set for July 2.

Haddin expressed disappointment with India‘s bowling performance, which led to a five-wicket loss despite solid batting efforts in both innings. He noted that, aside from Bumrah, the bowling attack struggled, particularly in maintaining consistent lines and lengths.

The 47-year-old raised doubts about Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the squad, given the challenging away conditions. He suggested reintroducing Kuldeep Yadav into the squad as a more aggressive option.

“Are we witnessing Ravindra Jadeja’s decline? While he is effective in Indian conditions and left-arm spin is difficult to play in India, I don’t believe he’s the best spin option for the team,” Haddin remarked on the Willow Talk podcast.

“I don’t believe Jadeja can be as effective. While he’s a solid all-rounder and could serve as a second spinner to control one end, I think they need to be more aggressive. They should be open to the possibility of losing a Test match with less experienced bowlers, but they need to shift their mindset in how they approach the game,” Haddin continued.

Haddin believes Jadeja won’t be as effective in English conditions. He suggested bringing in Kuldeep and urged the Indian team to be bold in making changes and taking risks to find the right combination.

“I would consider Kuldeep, as he’s an attacking spinner who can take wickets. You already have a few bowlers who can hold up an end, like Siraj, but I believe they need to be bolder in their selection of bowlers,” he stated.

“If Reddy plays, there’s no need for Jadeja, and they should opt for a more attacking spin option, especially when playing away from home,” he added.