Since Sachin Tendulkar's retirement in 2013, it has undoubtedly been a difficult period for the seasoned players who made up the heart of the Indian squad.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been out of favour for more than two seasons, and Virat Kohli has followed Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin into retirement, leaving the senior pros to gradually enter the sunset during the current transitional period. All of the players, including Mohammed Shami, who is currently struggling with fitness, were in India's playing XI when they last competed in England in 2021.

Just two players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, remain out of the group that debuted in Test cricket prior to 2015. Jadeja, 36, who made his debut in 2012, is under inspection, while Rahul, 33, is still performing well.

To remain relevant in India's new era under young captain Shubman Gill, Jadeja must perform much better as a left-arm spinner than he did in the first Test at Headingley, where Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar were also in the lineup.

Jadeja was the only spinner in the Leeds Test. In both innings, he only took one wicket and was not very effective with the ball. On the fifth day, he struggled to maintain his focus on the off-stump of the tough outside left-hander Ben Duckett, and the opener (61 & 149) stole runs at will.

His stats for the first innings were 0/68 in 23 overs. Following his 1/104 performance in 24 overs, his bowling in the second innings drew harsh criticism. He is famous for playing a holding role in order to increase pressure, but he was unable to do so successfully.

When India went in with just one spinner during their overseas tour, Jadeja was the favored option over R Ashwin, but his choice was mostly based on his batting. In England, his bowling record has been mediocre; he has taken 23 wickets in 11 games.

For a while now, Jadeja has been under increasing pressure. The series versus New Zealand late last year marked the beginning of the Indian spinners' dominance, as the visitors triumphed in the 0-3 whitewash at home. In the second test in Pune, Jadeja's absence of wickets was obvious; in the first innings, he went wicketless while Mitchell Santner, his New Zealand opponent, destroyed India by taking 13 wickets. In the third Test, Jadeja recovered nicely, taking ten wickets overall. He appeared to be in top form again. He wasn't able to help the team win at the Wankhede Stadium, but the ball came out of his hand well as he drew bite and turn. The happiness didn't last for very long. In the subsequent Australia series, he was dismissed, picking up four wickets in three Tests. The series ended with a 3-1 loss for India.

It can be said that in English conditions, spinners have a restricted function, but the spin tribe has produced match-winning performances, particularly in the last innings, where the wear and tear of the pitch is a contributing factor. Anil Kumble, India's former leg-spin superstar, had a major role in the 2002 win in Leeds, where he took four wickets in the second innings to bring his match total to seven.

In the second Test of the 1986 series at Leeds, former left-arm spinner Maninder Singh starred, taking 4/26 as five wickets were taken by spinners, including one by Ravi Shastri, as England were all out for 128 in the second innings and lost the game by 279 runs. As a result, what is the secret to success in places like Leeds? Maninder believes that focusing on pitching effectively and not being overly excited about taking wickets is essential.

"I used to love bowling on excellent batting tracks. Even if I didn't take many wickets, it could limit a batsman (on a nice wicket) and it used to make me quite happy. And that also helped, I believe, since I wasn't actually chasing wickets. I was only focused on playing well. "I was just focused on taking pleasure in the ball coming out of my hand, which didn't put any stress on me," recalls Maninder, who took 12 wickets during the three-game series.

"I knew from the start what I needed to do to make the ball swerve so far outside the off-stump and from where I needed to release it from my hand. Fortunately, I was in a sort of shape that allowed me to figure out what I needed to do quickly, adds Maninder.

The five-match series between India and England has gotten off to a losing start for the Indians. When they play the hosts in the second Test at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham from July 2, the squad will try to equalize the series. If the spinners know how to use it, there must be some assistance for them at the location. The late Shane Warne, Jadeja's former captain at the Rajasthan Royals, should be looked to for guidance when the team is playing at the stadium. The Australian hero has 25 wickets at Edgbaston over the course of just four Tests, including three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.

It demonstrates that while England is more advantageous for pacers, spinners still have a part to play if they possess the necessary skill and intelligence. Jadeja, India's seasoned professional, must bring out the best in the inexperienced team.

Read Also: County Cricket’s Role in Shaping India’s Next-Gen Players

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