Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has called for two key changes in the Indian playing XI ahead of the fourth Test against England, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 23, at Old Trafford. Vengsarkar backed the inclusion of left-arm duo Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, respectively, in a bid to strengthen India's bowling unit. Arshdeep, who earned his maiden Test call-up for this series, is yet to make his red-ball debut.

In the series so far, the team management has shuffled the third pacer's slot. At Headingley, Prasidh Krishna was preferred, followed by Akash Deep in the second Test when Bumrah was rested. With concerns around pacer workload and a long gap between matches, Vengsarkar believes it’s time to try Arshdeep, who can swing the ball both ways and offer something different. Kuldeep, despite India playing two spinners recently, has been left out, with Washington Sundar being preferred for his batting.

"I would drop Nitish Reddy and perhaps one more player to make room for Arshdeep. I think Siraj and Bumrah should keep their places, but Reddy could make way. Kuldeep Yadav could also replace someone like Washington Sundar. You need five bowlers in a Test match to win it. If your six batters can’t put up a good total, the bowlers need to take responsibility. You can’t win a Test match with part-time bowlers," Vengsarkar told RevSportz.

Arshdeep’s swing, Kuldeep’s spin, and Karun’s last chance?

The veteran further emphasized Arshdeep's suitability for English conditions. “I would pick Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav. Arshdeep is a good left-arm bowler who can move the ball in the air and off the wicket, which is crucial in English conditions. He can also reverse swing the ball, which is important. I have seen him bowl,” he said, backing the youngster for a debut in Manchester.

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Vengsarkar also spoke about Karun Nair, whose place in the XI is under scrutiny after a string of low scores since replacing Sai Sudharsan at No.3. “Karun Nair is a good player. He has shown promise but needs to convert those 30s and 40s into big scores. He’s an experienced player and knows what he has to do. I’d give him one more Test match to prove himself. He’s capable of scoring a hundred, and I hope he does in the next match,” he added, giving the batter one last opportunity to deliver.

Following a string of poor performances in the current Test series against England, Karun Nair's place in the Indian playing XI for the 4th Test at Old Trafford is in doubt. Nair has struggled to convert starts into big scores, managing only 131 runs at an average of 21.83 in three Tests to date. His best score in this series is only 40. This has opened up debate regarding substitutes for the vital upcoming match. Below are three players who might replace his position:

Sai Sudharsan

This left-handed batsman is a young player who is viewed as a future Indian Test player and might be given one more chance in the Tests. Although he scored a duck in the first innings, he followed it with a composed 30 in the second, showing glimpses of his potential. Sudharsan bats at No. 3—the same spot as Nair—and has been in excellent form in domestic cricket. With a first-class average of 39.93 and a career-best score of 213, he represents a strong long-term option for India in the top order.

Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a consistent force in India’s domestic circuit and has regularly been part of India A squads. Despite not yet making his Test debut, he carries a wealth of red-ball experience with 7,841 runs at an average of 48.70, including 27 centuries. His recent 80 off 92 balls for India A against England Lions at No. 3 has strengthened his case. Easwaran also led India A against the England Lions and had a gritty 80 in the second innings following a first-innings duck.

See Also: India likely to drop 3 players for 4th Test against England at Old Trafford

Dhruv Jurel

A wicket-keeper batsman, Jurel has made an impression with his batting performance and technique, especially when facing the moving ball. He is a potential candidate to step in place of Nair and provide another layer to the batting unit of the team. He has scored 1,462 runs from 34 first-class matches at a staggering average of 48.73 with one century and 12 half-centuries to his credit. He is also a skilled wicketkeeper with 64 catches and 6 stumpings in first-class cricket. Jurel has played 4 Tests, with 202 runs at an average of 40.40, with one fifty to his name.

While the selectors have the final decision, these three players are strong contenders for the likely absence of Karun Nair in the Indian 4th Test squad against England.

In the Final of the MLC 2025, the Washington Freedom vs MI New York (WAS vs NY) match will be played at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie in Dallas on Sunday evening, July 13 (starting at 05:30 on July 14). It will be the battle between the inaugural MLC champions (MI New York won the MLC 2023) and the defending MLC champions (Washington Freedom won the MLC 2024).

It will be their third meeting in the MLC 2025. Washington Freedom won both their league stage meetings this season by two wickets (with four balls remaining) and six wickets (with 18 balls remaining) after successfully chasing 189 and 113-run targets, respectively.

See Also: MLC 2025, NY vs WAS Final: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Final: WAS vs NY - Teams' Forms

At the end of the league stage in the MLC 2025, Washington Freedom finished on top of the points table with 16 points after 10 games with eight wins and two losses. While they advanced to the Qualifier, the rain washed out game (with toss) against the second-placed Texas Super Kings helped the defending champions qualify for the Final of the tournament through the better position in the final points table.   

Meanwhile, MI New York earned the Eliminator ticket after finishing in fourth place in the MLC 2025 points table by earning six points in ten matches, recording three wins and seven losses. In the Eliminator, they beat the third-placed San Francisco Unicorns by two wickets after successfully chasing the 132-run target in a thriller. Qualifying for the Challenger, they beat the Qualifier losers Texas Super Kings by seven wickets (chasing the 167-run target) to ultimately advance to the Final.  

MLC 2025, Final: WAS vs NY Probable Playing XI

Washington Freedom Predicted Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Owen, Andries Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (Captain), Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Ian Holland, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Lockie Ferguson

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Rushil Ugarkar

The MLC 2025 has entered its penultimate state as Texas Super Kings vs MI New York (TEX vs NY) will be played in the Challenger of the tournament. Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie will be played on Friday evening, July 11 (starting at 05:30 IST on July 12). 

The winner of the match will face the defending champions Washington Freedom in the Final of the tournament this Sunday, July 14 (Indian time, July 15). 

It will be their third meeting of this season. In both their league stage meetings, Texas Super Kings won by three runs and 39 runs, respectively. 

See Also: MLC 2025, TEX vs NY Challenger: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Challenger: TEX vs NY - Teams Forms

In the league stage of the MLC 2025, Texas Super Kings finished in the second place with 14 points after 10 matches with seven wins and three losses. Meanwhile, MI New York ended in the fourth position with six points after 10 games with three wins and seven losses. 

While Texas Super Kings advanced to the Qualifier, they had a washout game (with a toss) against the table-toppers Washington Freedom, who earned 16 points in the league stage with eight wins and two losses, and Freedom advanced to the Final of the tournament.

Meanwhile, MI New York have qualified for the Challenger after securing a two-wicket win in the final-over Eliminator thriller against San Franchisco Unicorns, where New York successfully chased the 132-run target in 19.3 overs after losing eight wickets. 

MLC 2025, Challenger: TEX vs NY Probable Playing XI

Texas Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Smit Patel (wk), Faf du Plessis (Captain), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane, Marcus Stoinis, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Akeal Hossain, Zia Ul Haq Muhammad, Noor Ahmad, Adam Milne

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Rushil Ugarkar

In the Eliminator of the MLC 2025, the San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York (SF vs NY) match will be played on Wednesday evening, July 9 (starting at 05:30 IST on July 10), at Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie in Dallas.

The winners of the Eliminator will advance to the Challenger, where they will face the Qualifier losers, Texas Super Kings (lost the washout Qualifier against Washington Freedom due to lower rank in the final MLC 2025 points table). On the other hand, the Eliminator losers will end their journey in the tournament.   

See Also: MLC 2025, SF vs NY Eliminator: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY - Teams Form

It will be their third meeting in the MLC 2025. San Francisco Unicorns won both their league stage meetings this season by three wickets and 47 runs, respectively. 

At the end of the league stage in the MLC 2025, San Francisco Unicorns finished in third place with 14 points in 10 games, with seven wins and three losses. The MLC 2024 runners-up won only once in their last four games. 

Meanwhile, the MLC 2023 champions, MI New York, finished the MLC 2025 league stage in fourth place with six points after 10 games, having won three and lost seven. Although they had the same six points as Seattle Orcas, New York finished with a better net run rate. In their last three matches, they won twice before losing the last one.

So, in the case of a complete washout in the Eliminator, San Francisco Unicorns will advance to the Challenger due to a higher ranking in the final points table of the MLC 2025.  

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY - Playing XIs Status

San Francisco Unicorns will miss the joint leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, due to his injury. Meanwhile, MI New York are ready to go with their best possible XI. 

MLC 2025, Eliminator: SF vs NY Probable Playing XI

San Francisco Unicorns Predicted Playing XI: Matthew Short (Captain), Finn Allen, Jake Fraser McGurk, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Romario Shephard, Xavier Bartlett, Brody Couch, Liam Plunkett, Karime Gore

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, George Linde, Ehsan Adil

MLC 2025 has entered the Playoffs as the Washington Freedom vs Texas Super Kings (WAS vs TEX) match has been scheduled for the Qualifier. Grand Prairie Stadium in Grand Prairie in Dallas will host this fixture on Tuesday evening, July 8 (starting at 05:30 IST on July 9).  

MLC 2025, Qualifier: WAS vs TEX - Teams Forms

It will be their third meeting in the MLC 2025. Defending champions Washington Freedom won their first league stage meeting this season by seven wickets with two balls remaining after successfully chasing the 221-run target.   

Later, in their second league stage meeting this season, Texas Super Kings claimed a 43-run victory. It was the rain-curtailed five-over game, where Super Kings scored 87/2 and restricted Freedom to 44/4. 

At the end of the league stage of the MLC 2025, Washington Freedom finished at the top of the points table with 16 points in 10 games, with eight wins and two losses. Meanwhile, the second-placed Texas Super Kings picked up 14 points after 10 matches with seven victories and three defeats. 

Washington Freedom are running with a two-match winning streak, and Texas Super Kings won their last game after suffering their third defeat of the season in the previous fixture. Both teams are ready to start with their best possible XIs for this playoff challenge. 

See Also: MLC 2025, WAS vs TEX Qualifier 1: Grand Prairie stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Qualifier: WAS vs TEX Probable Playing XI

Washington Freedom Predicted Playing XI: Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Owen, Andries Gous (wk), Glenn Maxwell (Captain), Mark Chapman, Jack Edwards, Glenn Phillips, Ian Holland, Obus Pienaar, Saurabh Netravalkar, Lockie Ferguson

Texas Super Kings Predicted Playing XI: Smit Patel (wk), Faf du Plessis (Captain), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shubham Ranjane, Marcus Stoinis, Donovan Ferreira, Calvin Savage, Akeal Hossain, Zia Ul Haq Muhammad, Noor Ahmad, Adam Milne

In the 27th match of the MLC 2025, MI New York vs Los Angeles Knight Riders (NY vs LAS) has been scheduled for Saturday evening, July 5 (starting at 00:30 IST on July 6), at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill. Both teams will play their ninth game of the season. 

It will be their second meeting in the MLC 2025. They previously met last Thursday, where New York won by eight wickets after successfully chasing the 155-run target in 17.5 overs. 

Earlier, they met twice before the ongoing MLC season. In their MLC 2023 league stage meeting, New York claimed a 105-run win. Later, in the MLC 2024 season, they met only once, and New York won their league stage fixture by four wickets. 

It will be the battle between the last two teams in the MLC 2025 points table. The no.5-ranked MI New York have four points after eight matches with two wins and six losses, as they won their last game after losing four straight matches. On the other hand, the no.6 or last-ranked Los Angeles Knight Riders have only two points after eight games, with only one win and seven losses, as they are going through a four-match losing streak. As only one place is available for the Playoffs spot, both teams still have the chance, and it is a must-win game for both teams.  

See Also: MLC 2025, NY vs LAS Match 27: Central Broward Regional Park stadium stats and Head to Head

MLC 2025, Match 27: NY vs LAS - Playing XIs Status

For MI New York, Naveen-ul-Haq can return to the squad. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Knight Riders are unlikely to make any significant changes in their last playing XI. 

MLC 2025, Match 27: NY vs LAS Probable Playing XI

MI New York Predicted Playing XI: Monank Patel, Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Kieron Pollard, Michael Bracewell, Tajinder Dhillon, Nosthush Kenjige, Trent Boult, Naveen-ul-Haq, George Linde, Ehsan Adil

Los Angeles Knight Riders Predicted Playing XI: Andre Fletcher, Unmukt Chand (wk), Rovman Powell, Saif Badar, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder (Captain), Matthew Tromp, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Sunil Narine

The build-up to the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was filled with speculation over Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion, but the suspense ended when Indian captain Shubman Gill confirmed at the toss that the left-arm spinner would not be part of the playing XI. The second Test at Edgbaston, starting today (July 2), sees India once again opting for a different combination despite a five-wicket loss in the Leeds series opener, where they played just one spinner—Ravindra Jadeja—alongside four pacers. Kuldeep has an impressive record against England in Tests, with 21 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.28, but his only Test appearance in England remains the 2018 Lord’s game during India’s 1-4 series defeat.

Gill admitted they were tempted to include Kuldeep but instead chose to bolster the batting lineup. "Three changes—Reddy (Nitish), Washi (Sundar), and Akash Deep come in. No Bumrah. Just to manage his workload. Third Test being at Lord's, we think there'll be more in that pitch so we'll use him there. We were tempted to play Kuldeep but decided to add some depth to the batting," he said at the toss (via Cricbuzz). He added, “We wanted to strengthen our batting, and that is why Sundar is included in the team.” The veteran spinner also missed the first Test of the previous England series at home, where India lost in Hyderabad, only for Kuldeep to come back with 19 wickets in the remaining four matches, helping India overturn a 0-1 deficit into a 4-1 series win.

Despite his consistent performances, India has decided to leave Kuldeep once again. His last Test for India was against New Zealand in October 2024 in Bengaluru, where he took three wickets in the first innings and did not take a wicket in the second innings. India lost that match by eight wickets, and Kuldeep was then dropped for the next two Tests. A subsequent injury kept him out of the Australian Test tour as well.

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Kuldeep's Continued Test Snub Despite Strong Record

India's performance without Kuldeep has been lackluster, having lost six of their last eight Tests since the Bengaluru fixture. Despite an outstanding Test average of 22.16, which includes four five-wicket hauls, the 30-year-old has featured in just 13 Test matches since making his debut in 2017. Over seven years, Kuldeep’s red-ball career has been marked more by his absence than his inclusion, raising questions about India's strategy in Tests, particularly overseas.

As India prepares for the second Test against England at Edgbaston on Wednesday, July 2, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has called for bold changes to the playing XI. One of his major suggestions is dropping Shardul Thakur and bringing back wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Manjrekar believes India must shift from their usual fast-bowler-heavy setup and instead focus on quality, even if it means playing multiple spinners in English conditions.

India's batters had their moments in the first Test at Headingley, but their bowling unit couldn’t defend a sizable target of 371 runs in the fourth innings. Manjrekar feels that without Mohammed Shami in the mix, India's pace attack lacks depth and consistency. He specifically called out the performances of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur, stating that apart from Bumrah, India doesn't have the same impact bowlers.

In Manjrekar’s view, India needs to make some tough selection decisions if they want to bounce back in the series. He stated clearly, “Nitish Kumar Reddy, I had included him on my side for the first Test. And Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I'm sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out.”

Manjrekar Advocates Spin-Focused Strategy Despite English Conditions

Manjrekar emphasized the importance of picking the best bowlers, regardless of surface or location. “India will have to make a hard call that even in English conditions, they go with quality bowlers, and if the quality bowlers happen to be two spinners, go for it because you don't quite have the luxury of a Shami and some of the other bowlers to pick from.” He also mentioned the increasingly dry nature of English pitches due to global warming, which could support spin.

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“English summers these days are generally dry summers because of global warming. So you know, maybe it’s a way to introduce spin in England. And let’s not forget, Ben Stokes has completely changed his thinking and made it common-sense cricket thinking,” Manjrekar added.

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah's availability remains uncertain for the Edgbaston Test. While he was the standout performer in the first Test with a five-wicket haul, team management is cautious due to the tight schedule. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate noted, “He’s available for the game, but we haven’t made a final call yet. It will depend on conditions and how we plan for the rest of the series.” With India trailing 0-1, the second Test is crucial in the context of the five-match series.

In the 22nd match of the MLC 2025, San Francisco Unicorns vs Seattle Orcas (SF vs SEA) has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 1 (starting at 04:30 IST on July 2), at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill. 

It will be their second meeting in the MLC 2025. Last Wednesday, they faced each other in Dallas, where Unicorns won by 32 runs by successfully defending their first innings total of 176/8.  

Before their MLC 2025 meeting, they met thrice in the tournament's history. In the MLC 2023, their league stage meeting ended with a 35-run win for Orcas. In the MLC 2024, they faced each other twice in the league stage, where Unicorns won both the matches by 23 runs and six wickets, respectively. 

Both teams will play their eighth match of the season. San Francisco Unicorns are leading the points table with 12 points after seven matches, with six wins and one defeat. Before suffering a 12-run defeat against the defending champions Washington Freedom in their last game, Unicorns won their first six fixtures of the season to secure their place for the playoffs.

On the other hand, the fourth-placed Seattle Orcas have earned four points after seven matches with two wins and five losses. After losing their first five matches of the season, Orcas won their last two games, and they are strongly battling for the playoffs. 

RECORD ALERT: The TSK skipper now holds the record for scoring the most centuries in the MLC

MLC 2025, Match 22: SF vs SEA - Playing XIs Status

Both teams may go with a few changes in their respective playing XIs. Former Australian cricketer David Warner can be given another chance in the Seattle Orcas' squad. 

MLC 2025, Match 22: SF vs SEA Probable Playing XI

San Francisco Unicorns Predicted Playing XI: Matthew Short (Captain), Finn Allen, Jake Fraser McGurk, Jahmar Hamilton (wk), Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hassan Khan, Romario Shephard, Haris Rauf, Xavier Bartlett, Brody Couch/Liam Plunkett, Carmi le Roux

Seattle Orcas Predicted Playing XI: Shayan Jahangir (wk), Aaron Jones, David Warner, Kyle Mayers, Heinrich Klaasen, Shimron Hetmyer, Sikandar Raza (Captain), Harmeet Singh, Waqar Salamkheil, Gerald Coetzee, Jasdeep Singh