Michael Atherton lays trap for India with '3 spinners' advice to Gautam Gambhir before Manchester Test

Former England National Cricket Team skipper Michael Atherton has given some wild advice to the India National Cricket Team ahead of the fourth Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Michael Atherton advised Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill to field a spin-heavy line-up in the fourth Test match at Old Trafford in Manchester and ditch the pace.

Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah dominating the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy

So far in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, the India National Cricket Team have fielded different combinations in three matches.

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In the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, India went with six batters, including the wicketkeeper-batsman, a spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, a pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, and three proper pacers - Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.

As the action moved to Edgbaston in Birmingham, the visitors changed their combination drastically. They fielded five batters, including a keeper, two spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington, one pace-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and three pacers - Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep.

Meanwhile, in the third Test at Lord's in London, India retained that combination with only Prasidh Krishna making way for Jasprit Bumrah.

Notably, Siraj and Bumrah have been in sensational form in the ongoing five-match Test series against England and are the top two leading wicket-takers with 13 and 12 wickets in their bag, respectively.

Wrist spin goes well at Old Trafford - Michael Atherton

India are currently trailing by 1-2 in the five-match Test series against England and have been heavily criticized for not giving any opportunities to the left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was labelled as the X-factor by many before the start of the series.

Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Atherton has said that the flat pitch in the Manchester Test might allow for wrist spin to come into play, making a player like Kuldeep Yadav a must-have in the team.

"The pitches haven't had the pace that they used to have. There are a couple of pitches in the end where there's zing, but in the middle, the televised pitches are just flat, flat, flat. Wrist spin goes well at Old Trafford in some circumstances,” Atherton told Sky Sports Cricket.

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Was wondering whether they would go with Bumrah and Siraj, and then play with three spinners - Michael Atherton

Michael Atherton further suggested that India should go only with two frontline pacers in the Manchester Test match - Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj - and three spin-bowling options - Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav.

“I was wondering whether they would go with [Jasprit] Bumrah and [Mohammed] Siraj, and then play with three spinners: Washington Sundar, [Ravindra] Jadeja, and Kuldeep [Yadav]. But we don't know about the forecast in Manchester, whether it's going to be cooler and showery," he stated.

"Then, the fast bowlers can come to play. But that's the definite option that India could think about,” added Atherton.