EXCLUSIVE – India vs England Tests: India has fast bowlers, but we need a swing bowler like Bhuvneshwar Kumar in England, says Yuvraj Singh | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Amidst the excitement of the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, a very big cricket Test series is also all set to get underway.
A five Test series between India and England will begin on Wednesday, August 4. The last series India won on English soil was way back in 2007, under Rahul Dravid’s leadership. Before that India defeated England twice – 1971 (Ajit Wadekar) and 1986 (Kapil Dev).
India captain Virat Kohli, who guided India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018, will be eager to add another milestone trophy to Indian cricket’s trophy cabinet.
The Indian squad for the WTC final and the 5 Test series v England was picked in May this year. Since then Team India have had a few injuries. Players like Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar will not play in the series. Ahead of the first Test in fact, Mayank Agarwal suffered a concussion after being hit on the helmet in the nets. He has been ruled out of the first Test.

Former India all-rounder and 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh feels the Indian squad is a good one, but that it should have also had an out and out swing bowler like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who can exploit the conditions in England.
Yuvraj Spoke to TimesofIndia.com, in July this year, about India’s chances of a potential series win in England this time.
“We have all the match winners. The conditions are really difficult in England. I feel that India need a swing bowler, because with the Dukes ball you should know how to swing it. You have got fast bowlers – Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma. We need someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” Yuvraj told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

Bhuvneshwar was in fact part of the Indian squad which played a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka recently. He claimed eight wickets on that tour.
Bhuvneshwar, who has played 21 Tests since making his debut in 2013 and has 63 wickets to his name, last played a Test match way back in 2018 against South Africa in Johannesburg.

(TOI photo)
“He (Bhuvneshwar) is the guy who swings the ball. Bhuvi is an experienced bowler. And if he is fit, he should definitely be part of the squad and given an opportunity. India need someone experienced there (in England) like Bhuvi,” Yuvraj, who played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs, and 58 T20Is between 2000 and 2019, further told TimesofIndia.com.
Both India and England are going into the series after suffering defeats against the same opposition – New Zealand. England lost a two-match series to New Zealand, while India lost the World Test Championship final against the Blackcaps.
India will kick off their five-Test series campaign on August 4 with the first Test, at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
On being asked about the key player battles for the India-England Test series that the fans should watch out for, Yuvraj picked the Kohli vs Anderson battle.

(Getty Images)
“With the Dukes ball, I think James Anderson definitely will be the most dangerous. Even at this age, he is at his best. For me, the Anderson vs Virat battle will be there. I will be keen to watch these guys,” Yuvraj signed off.