Former Indian cricket team head coach Greg Chappell gave a damming verdict on India's defeat in the Headingley Test against England and called for a rethink in terms of selection heading into the second Test of the series in Edgbaston from Wednesday (July 2).

While India put up totals of 471 and 364 on the board in the two innings, they still lost the game by five wickets as England chased down 371 on the final day. India's aggregate total of 835 was the fourth-highest in Test cricket history in defeat. India also became the first team to lose a Test match in history despite making five centuries in the match.

India's bowling emerged as the issue as they failed to take 20 wickets. While the team dropped 10 catches in the match, Chappell claimed that was not the main reason behind the loss. The Australian cricket legend called for India to play Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh in every game. He reserved high praise for Kuldeep and labelled him as the best wrist-spinner since Shane Warne. Chappell was critical of the Indian bowling unit and stated that they are very similar, apart from Jasprit Bumrah and lack discipline.

"As disappointing as the fielding in Headingley was, it was not the main reason India lost the Test Most of India's problems were self-inflicted. Perhaps the most expensive error was the no-ball that gave Harry Brook an early life in the second innings. More concerning to me, though, is the lack of variety in the bowling attack. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India's seamers are too similar - all right-arm, medium-fast, operating at comparable angles.

There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop. Without Bumrah, I'd like to see left-armer Arshdeep Singh added to the mix and Kuldeep Yadav, possibly the best wristspinner since Shane Warne, included in the attack," wrote Chappell in a column for EspnCricinfo.

"Even with Bumrah in the mix, the rest of the attack has to be more disciplined. I didn't see two consecutive balls land in a dangerous place. They were either too full, too short or too wide. Bowlers have to work in partnerships as much as batters. All England have to do at present is to see off Bumrah and they know the pressure will go with him," Chappell added.

Stressing the need for India to include Kuldeep in the playing XI, Chappell stated that Jadeja cannot be the team's frontline spinner in these conditions and only a support bowler. He further criticised the idea of playing an all-rounder and called for the Shubman Gill-led side to pick a bowling unit that can pick 20 wickets.

"Jadeja is not a front-line spinner in English conditions. If his batting is considered good enough, he can be a support spinner; otherwise a rethink is necessary. If India are to reverse their fortunes in this series then a better balanced team is required.

"I don't agree that an extra batter who bowls should be selected as insurance against top-order collapses. The top six must be trusted to deliver the runs and that the best combination to secure the requisite 20 wickets is available to the captain. The selectors are the ones under pressure now. If batters and bowlers have to be prepared to take risks to score runs and take wickets, they too have to have the courage to take bold decisions," said Chappell.

Various reports have indicated that Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the second Test to manage his workload as he will play just three Test matches in this series.

Kuldeep has not played a Test for India outside Asia since the 2019 Sydney Test against Australia. He has played just 13 matches in his career despite making his debut in 2017. The 30-year-old has played just one Test match in England, which at Lord's in 2018.