India suffered a series loss to New Zealand with the team leaving in shambles, as it couldn’t even challenge visitors on multiple aspects of the game in the first two Tests at home. Defeat was collective in nature, where batsmen flumoxed by the Kiwi spinners on the turning track at Pune were found wanting in both innings. However, senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t leave much impact as they picked five and three wickets respectively, not really utilizing the conditions that helped them. Young Washington Sundar returned a ten-wicket haul, while Mitchell Santner tore India’s batting unit apart with 13 wickets in the game.
Although Team India may not go into a tizzy at this moment, their first home series loss in over a decade would surely have them rethink things before this becomes an issue.
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Aakash Chopra’s Stern Verdict On Ashwin-Jadeja Future
Former cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra has been plain blunt. He reckoned India’s bowlers were bettered on the day. He also stated that if Sundar, Ashwin, and Jadeja were going to play, then they shouldn’t have had a low-key day at the crease. Chopra voiced fear about the veteran duo saying that their prospects in the side might come up for debate soon. He further observed that India is, to a great extent, being careless towards the future and this could be viewed as the reason behind treating Kuldeep Yadav quite casually as well, whose exclusion from the XI of the Pune Test caught everyone off guard.
“You believe spin is our strength. However, are we bowling spin well? That is another big question because we were outbowled. 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,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Who’s Next After Ravindra Jadeja And Ravichandran Ashwin?
“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 ageing spinners,” Chopra added.
Kuldeep Yadav Should’ve Played According To Chopra
“In such a scenario, I feel India are missing a trick. Ashwin will go first because he is more aged. 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,” he said.
“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,” Chopra observed.
Chopra was wondering why Kuldeep had not been considered for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kuldeep Yadav is still a part of India squad against New Zealand in three match Test series, even though India has lost the series Kuldeep Yadav’s playing in the third Test still remains uncertain.
