ENG vs IND 2025: 'If not our partnership, lead would've been 70-80' - Shubman Gill on picking Washington over Kuldeep

A tactical master stroke that paid off for India in the Edbaston Test against England was the inclusion of Washington Sundar ahead of Kuldeep Yadav, a decision that raised a few eyebrows before the match. The captain emphasized the need for greater batting depth and control in spin-friendly conditions.

According to Indian captain Shubman Gill, Sundar justified his selection with an all-round performance, contributing a valuable 42 runs in the first innings and later dismissing England captain Ben Stokes in the second. Gill elaborated on the team’s strategic choice of a finger spinner, noting the need for control and depth in subcontinent-style conditions.

"It is very tempting when you have a bowler like Kuldeep. One of the reasons why I wanted to play Washington was because he gives us batting depth. In the first innings, I think the partnership between me and Washington, if it wasn't for that partnership, then our lead would have been 70-80-90 runs, which is psychologically very different from 180,” Gill was quoted as saying during the post-match press conference.

The 25-year-old remained open to reassessing the team’s bowling combination based on conditions for the upcoming Lord’s Test, starting on July 10.

"Even on Day 5, the ball was not moving that much from the middle, it was just moving through the roughness. We thought that maybe if our first batting comes, then maybe on a 5th day wicket, the finger spinner will give us more control if the ball is moving from the wicket and especially on such wickets, sometimes more than fast bowling, the spin gives you more control. So that was our mindset, but now we will see what kind of wicket they are giving at Lord's," he ended the debate over the selection for the third Test," he said further.

Akash Deep's spell gave us the confidence to win at Edgbaston: Gill

The visiting captain further praised Akash Deep’s stellar performance following India’s dominant 336-run victory over England in the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The win not only levelled the five-match series 1-1 but also marked India's first-ever Test triumph at the iconic venue.

Gill expressed his delight at the Bihar-born's impact, particularly his crucial breakthroughs on Day 4, dismissing key top-order batters Ben Duckett and Joe Root. Deep finished with impressive match figures of 10 for 187 (4/88 in the first innings and 6/99 in the second), playing a pivotal role in India’s historic win.

"Yesterday, I think, getting through the top order is never easy. The spell of Akash Deep, how he got those two wickets, kind of gave the confidence to everyone that we can win this Test match and when he came in this morning with the ball hitting the cracks, yes, the ball was seaming, the odd ball seaming, that's what really instilled the confidence in all of the players that, yes, we can do it," he told.