"2 of your 3 fast bowlers have played 3 Test matches" - Aakash Chopra suggests a change in India's playing XI for BGT 2024-25 4th Test
Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned whether India can play an additional specialist seamer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 fourth Test. He opined that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj might be slightly weary due to their efforts in the first three Tests.
The fourth Test of the five-match series between India and Australia will start in Melbourne on Thursday, December 26. While Bumrah and Siraj have played all three Tests thus far, Akash Deep has played only one game after coming in as a replacement for Harshit Rana, who played the first two matches.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener pointed out that the visitors played five frontline bowlers in the 2020 Boxing Day Test and wondered whether the same approach could be followed this time as well.
"Till now, India have played three fast bowlers plus Nitish Kumar Reddy, plus a spinner who can bat. However, you played five proper bowlers the last time you played in Melbourne. There were three fast bowlers and two proper spinners, (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja played, and India got out for 36 in the previous match," he said (4:15).
"Can five proper bowlers be played here? You have to keep in mind that two of your three fast bowlers have played three Test matches. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have done very well but Siraj had a slight side strain in the last match. Akash Deep bowled very well in the last match," Chopra added.
Chopra questioned whether Nitish Kumar Reddy should make way for a fourth specialist seamer.
"However, if two of your three fast bowlers have played three Test matches, there might be a little bit of weariness in the fourth match. So will you keep that in mind as this is the fourth Test match of the series on Australian pitches? They take a toll. If you see from that viewpoint, can a fourth fast bowler be played in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy?" he observed.
Bumrah bowled 88 overs in the first three Tests, picking up 21 wickets at an unbelievable average of 10.90. Siraj accounted for 13 dismissals at an average of 23.92 in 83.1 overs in the first three games.
"He is like half a bowler" - Aakash Chopra on Nitish Kumar Reddy
![Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled only 27 overs across the first three Tests. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/cf0a6-17351017132404-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Nitish Kumar Reddy has stood out with the bat but hasn't been too effective with the ball.
"The truth is that Nitish Kumar Reddy is doing very well. After KL Rahul, he is the one who has batted well, and the others have not played that well consistently. However, you are not keeping him in the team for batting. You are keeping him to contribute with the ball as well, which he does, but he is like half a bowler," he said (5:40).
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that he won't be surprised if Rohit Sharma and company take the tough call of leaving out Reddy.
"So this is a huge question in front of the Indian team management as to what they should do. Can you go with four pure fast bowlers with Jadeja as your lone spinner? It's a big, big question. I won't be surprised if it happens although dropping Nitish Kumar Reddy will take some doing," Chopra observed.
Chopra concluded by questioning whether Prasidh Krishna could replace Reddy in the XI in such a scenario. He opined that India are unlikely to play an additional frontline spinner in either Washington Sundar or Tanush Kotian.