Aakash Chopra believes India would select Axar Patel ahead of Kuldeep Yadav in the first Test against England.
The two teams will face battle in a five-Test series, with the opening game taking place in Hyderabad on Thursday, January 25.
India’s first two Tests will feature four spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar, and Kuldeep.
In a YouTube video, Chopra argued that Axar should be the third spinner instead of Kuldeep.
Which three spinners should play? The heart tells you to choose Kuldeep Yadav because he is a wicket-taker, but Axar Patel deserves to be in the starting eleven.
I believe the three spinners will be Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The former India opener stated that Jadeja, Axar, and Ashwin’s batting talents will allow the hosts to choose a specialist wicketkeeper.
Interestingly, all three bats quite well, particularly under these conditions. So you have hitters till No. 9.
If your hitters are so good, don’t expect the keeper to bat much.
If you get it, that’s great, but it’s not a big deal if you don’t.
Rahul Dravid has previously stated that KL Rahul would not keep.
Chopra believes KL Rahul would bat at No. 4 in Virat Kohli’s absence, with Srikar Bharat taking the wicketkeeping gloves.
I believe you will see KL Rahul bat at No. 4 because Kohli is not available, and you may maintain KS Bharat.
You can play Ravindra Jadeja at number six and Bharat at number seven, or vice way; the choice is completely yours.
Bharat will most likely play ahead of Dhruv Jurel, the other wicketkeeper in the Indian team, due to his experience and the century he achieved in India A’s last match against the England Lions.
Aakash Chopra will face Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer
While noticing that Yashasvi Jaiswal will most likely begin alongside Rohit Sharma, Aakash Chopra said that Virat Kohli’s absence will allow Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer to play together in the XI.
Yashasvi leads the batting order. Only two of Rahul, Shreyas, and Gill could have played if Virat had been available, but because he isn’t, all three will play – Gill at No. 3, Rahul at No. 4, and Shreyas at No. 5, or Shreyas at No. 4 and Rahul at No. 5 – it makes no difference.
India’s team includes four seamers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan.
Bumrah and Siraj will most likely comprise the hosts’ two-pronged seam attack in the series opener.
Also Read: Australia vs. West Indies, 2nd Test: Expected Starting XIs, Score, Pitch Report