The former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has lambasted the team management for dropping their young left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav during the second of the three-match series against New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, despite the concern of the age factor of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Having lost their opening encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India decided to offer a slow and low turner for the second fixture which saw them dropping Kuldeep and bringing off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar into the playing eleven of the team.
Both Ashwin and Jadeja had ordinary time in the middle during the first two games of the series, as they claimed only 12 wickets, bowling more than 130 overs, while the left-arm Kiwi spinner, Mitchell Santner, alone bagged 13 scalps in less than 50 overs in Pune.
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India is not expected to hit the panic button at the moment, but a Test defeat at home against the Blackcaps after 36 years promoted them to take that blunt decision. Aakash Chopra made the assessment of how the Indian bowlers were out-bowled by the visitors, apart from Washington Sundar, who was making a comeback in the team.
“You believe spin is our strength. However, are we bowling spin well? That is another big question because we were out-bowled. Of course, Washington Sundar changed the game totally. He bowled a few overs and picked up a lot of wickets. You say ‘brilliant’ when you see his performance.” The former Indian opener expressed during a video, uploaded on his YouTube channel.
Kuldeep Yadav, who was addressed as their best overseas spinner after the 2018/19 Australia series by then-head coach Ravi Shastri, has featured in just 13 red-ball games in seven years picking up 56 wickets at an average of 22.16 and a strike rate of 37.3 with the help of four five-wicket hauls.
Aakash Chopra questions how Kuldeep Yadav remains for The Mumbai Test but not in BGT 2024-25
Akash Chopra believes that with both Ashwin and Jadeja rolling towards the fag end of their career, it will be important for the selectors and management to show more belief and confidence in the 29-year-old.
“However, if Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are playing together and don’t do that well, you start feeling, although Ravichandran Ashwin was the Player of the Series recently. He works his way out. However, the question is going to come very soon that there will be a transition for them as well. They are the aging spinners.” The renowned commentator added.
The Delhi batter pointed out that the Blue Brigade had been missing the trick by not preparing for the future and expressed his disappointment with the way the bowlers were dropped from the Pune Test.
“In such a scenario, I feel India is missing a trick. Ashwin will go first because he is older. Jadeja is fitter and younger as well. So he will stay for longer. You need to start grooming. You started giving a chance to Washington Sundar now but you didn’t do the right thing with Kuldeep.” Aakash Chopra shed light.
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He questioned the process of how the bowler remains in the squad for the final Test against New Zealand despite missing the upcoming Australia trip of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 due to injury management.
“You are not preparing Kuldeep and he is that guy because modern-day batters surrender against such wrist spin. However, we are not playing him. We are not being honest with him in a sense. He is being sent for injury management although he is available for the Mumbai match.” Aakash Chopra concluded the video.