India lacked an attacking bowling option like Kuldeep Yadav in middle overs: Anil Kumble

Former India captain Anil Kumble pinpointed the absence of an attacking bowling option through the middle overs as a critical weakness after England successfully chased 234 at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday, July 16, pulling the three-match series level at 1-1.

India posted 233, with Virat Kohli scoring 65 and Shreyas Iyer scoring 66 as the only substantial contributions. Despite claiming three early wickets as England began their run chase, the Indian bowling unit failed to maintain pressure through the middle overs, allowing Root to anchor a methodical recovery. Ultimately, Root's unbeaten 99 guided England to a four-wicket victory.

"It was a really good effort from the Indian team. They put 233 runs on the board, which is never easy to defend in a 50-over game. They needed wickets at regular intervals, and the opening spells from Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Gurnoor Brar were exactly what was required. They picked up three early wickets in the first 10 to 12 overs, which kept India in the contest. They put England under pressure, but Joe Root's masterclass took the game away from them," said Kumble on JioHotstar.

"The real issue for India was the fifth bowler. India lacked an attacking option through the middle overs. In this bowling attack, Bumrah is the only genuine wicket-taking bowler. The others have largely played a defensive role. Prasidh and Gurnoor bowled well in this game, but India need someone with an attacking mindset who can break partnerships in the middle overs. That is where Kuldeep Yadav would have been useful, especially in ODI cricket. But if he continues to be left out, it is a worrying sign for India," Kumble added.

Will Kuldeep Yadav return to India's ODI setup at Lord's?

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep remains in the squad for the tour but has not featured in either of the first two matches. The team management has chosen all-rounders like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar to bowl in the playing eleven, sidelining the specialist spinner. Kuldeep's proven experience with variations and partnership-breaking ability across the 50-over format stands in stark contrast to his current status as a bench option.

The two sides meet again in the series decider at Lord's on Sunday, July 19.