T20 World Cup 2026: Ravi Shastri urges Gautam Gambhir to play this player in IND vs ENG Semi-Final

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has a suggestion for the current head coach of the team, Gautam Gambhir, ahead of the India vs England T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final in Mumbai. Shastri asks Gambhir to consider Kuldeep Yadav for the match, alongside Varun Chakaravarthy.   

The Wankhede cricket stadium will host the India vs England semi-final fixture of the tournament. Traditionally, Mumbai’s iconic stadium offers batting-friendly surfaces. For the Semi-Final, the pitch can act in favor of batters.

If the deck turns out to be a batter's paradise, then the bowlers, especially the pacers, may have to go through a nightmare.  Team India has multiple pace bowling options in the team in the form of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube. Mohammad Siraj is also with the team as a backup option. Assuming the nature of the Wankhede pitch, Ravi Shastri suggests that Gautam Gambhir-led Indian team management should play an extra spinner for the semi-final.

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Varun Chakaravarthy proved expensive against the West Indies in the Super 8 match. If he goes costly in the semi-final as well, then it can be a huge trouble for Team India. Kuldeep’s presence on the ground can offer the Team an extra precaution, Shastri feels.

“England has 8 right-handed batters in their top 9. If Varun does not have a good day, there must be another wicket-taking option, team needs someone who can take wickets in the middle overs alongside Varun. Kuldeep should be included in the playing XI because on the Mumbai pitch, England batters can easily score runs against Pacers”, the former head coach said.

Ravi Shastri asks Team India to play Kuldeep Yadav vs England at any cost 

But who can be replaced by the spinner? The former Indian cricketer opined that in place of a batter, the management should include Yadav in the playing combination as a bowler like him can break crucial partnerships in the middle.

“Even if the team has to compromise by dropping one batter, Kuldeep Yadav should somehow be included. A bowler like Kuldeep, who can break partnerships in the middle overs, will be crucial. We don’t know what kind of day Varun will have, and the Mumbai pitch is flat, which makes wicket-taking difficult for pacers”, Ravi Shastri further stated.