Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI against England in the second Test, saying that he was a "little baffled". He added that the pitch at Edgbaston aids spinners. Reacting to the inclusion of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, he said India needed strengthening in the wicket-taking department, not in batting.