As Team India prepares for the important fourth Test against England in Manchester, former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has made a clear public request to skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir: "Pick one more specialist bowler."
With India down 1-2 in the critical five-match Test series, Rahane’s call follows a disappointing 22-run loss at Lord’s, where the team fell short despite a strong effort. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rahane expressed his views on India's strategy and urged management to fix what he believes is a significant gap in the playing XI.
“In Test cricket, to win, you need to take 20 wickets. That’s the key,” Rahane said. “India should think about adding one extra specialist bowler in the fourth Test. The conditions and match situation clearly require it.”
India had three specialist pacers in the previous Test—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep—alongside three all-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy. While this combination gave depth in batting and flexibility in bowling, Rahane feels that not having a fourth full-time bowler may have hurt the team at critical times.
“Days 4 and 5 at Lord’s were difficult for batting, but we struggled with the ball. England’s bowlers maintained the pressure, and we couldn’t match that intensity,” he noted. “We missed our chance to score big in the first innings and couldn’t follow up with aggressive bowling when it was necessary.”
Rahane also praised England’s captain Ben Stokes, who played an important role in the third Test with his leadership and athleticism on the field. “What stood out was England’s energy, especially late in the day. Stokes led by example, and the whole team backed him up with sharp fielding,” Rahane said.
With Arshdeep Singh injured and selection decisions coming up, Rahane’s suggestion could lead to the addition of another specialist like Kuldeep Yadav or a fourth pacer. It is still unclear whether Gambhir and Gill will consider the advice as they aim to level the series.
The fourth Test begins on July 23 at Old Trafford. With the series at stake, every tactical choice will be crucial.
