"He told me to take…"- Kuldeep Yadav reveals Kevin Pietersen's advice for England test series

Kuldeep Yadav was not part of India’s playing XI in the first test.

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has revealed that former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen gave him some crucial advice to prepare for England test series. Yadav played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for Delhi Capitals (DC), where Pietersen served as mentor.

Indian Cricket Team are gearing up for the second test against England, which is slated to commence from July 2 at Edgbaston, Birmingham. After the defeat in the opening game, India are expected to make some changes in their playing XI for the second test, especially in the bowling department.

While Indian batsmen showed a wonderful effort in the first test by hitting five centuries across two innings, the bowling unit struggled to dominate the hosts. The Ben Stokes & Co. chased down the 371-run target in the second innings to win the encounter and earn a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Kuldeep Yadav reveals Kevin Pietersen’s advice for England test series

Kuldeep Yadav, who is the front-line spinner in India’s squad for the England series, was not part of the opening test as the team went ahead with Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner in the playing XI. The all-rounder bagged just one wicket in the encounter. Hence, Yadav might play the second test to strengthen India’s spin attack.

During a conversation with The Indian Express, the left-arm spinner revealed that Pietersen helped him to prepare his mindset for the England test series during IPL 2025. Yadav said that Pietersen advised him to take the field with an attacking mindset.

“Kevin Petersen was part of our team at DC. He gave me a lot of inputs for the England tour. He told me about fielding positions, pitches and the batsmen. We ran through their batting line up. He told me about the mindset needed in England,” the 30-year-old said.

“Pietersen said that generally spinners come to England with a defensive mindset. They think that in England, fast bowlers will get wickets and they will be in a supporting role. He told me to take the field with an attacking mindset. If I get a game and bowl 15 to 20 overs, I have to always think about how to get the batsmen out,” he further added.

Meanwhile, the Shubman Gill & Co. will aim to script history in the second test by winning their first-ever test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Out of eight games, India have lost seven matches against England at the venue in the past, including one draw game. England have named Jofra Archer in their squad for the second game. The right-arm pacer has returned to the tests after four years.

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