"Everyone says he should be dropped" - Aakash Chopra lauds Indian bowler's spell in IND vs PAK 2025 Champions Trophy clash
Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Kuldeep Yadav for bowling a potent spell in the Men in Blue's 2025 Champions Trophy win against Pakistan. He noted that a few critics were even questioning the left-arm wrist spinner's place in the Indian playing XI and urging the team management to play Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of him.
Kuldeep registered figures of 3/40 in nine overs as India bowled Pakistan out for 241 in a 2025 Champions Trophy Group A game in Dubai on Sunday, February 23. Rohit Sharma and company achieved the target with six wickets and 45 deliveries to spare to virtually book a semi-final berth.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that Kuldeep was potentially fighting for his place in the Men in Blue's playing XI.
"We have realized now why Kuldeep is our main man. I actually spoke to him before the game and he was very pumped up and confident to do well in this match. He didn't say that but there was one thing on my mind that everyone says he should be dropped, that Varun can be played in his place," he said (9:50).
Chopra noted that Pakistan might have been bundled out for an even lower score had Kuldeep been given his 10th over.
"I am saying wait a little. We discussed yesterday as well that Pakistan get stuck and trapped against leg-spin and he showed that by doing it. In fact, if he had been given his last over, they would have scored 220-odd and not 240. The team might have been all out for 228. He picked up three wickets and was also on a hat-trick," he observed.
Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Salman Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi off successive deliveries in the 43rd over of Pakistan's innings. He then got rid of Naseem Shah in the 47th over but Mohammed Shami was given the penultimate over ahead of him.
"He is the guy who can give you wickets in the middle overs" - Aakash Chopra on Kuldeep Yadav's importance for India in 2025 Champions Trophy
![Kuldeep Yadav was the only specialist spinner in India's playing XI in their 2025 Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/9e8ed-17403819353439-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra highlighted Kuldeep Yadav's importance for India as a middle-overs weapon in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
"He is brilliant. Of course, he bowls better when there is slightly more pace on the pitch. He doesn't get that much help if the pitch is extremely slow as you can read him off the pitch then and play him easily. However, look at the way he has bowled. Kuldeep Yadav is our main man in these conditions. He is the guy who can give you wickets in the middle overs," he said (10:40).
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Uttar Pradesh spinner becomes even more important when the Indian seamers aren't at their potent best.
"You have to invest in him because, let's be honest, the fast bowling looked slightly flat. I am very happy that Shami has a week's break because he wasn't clicking 140 kph. He probably had less time to recover from the last match. When Shami limped, we stumbled," Chopra observed.
While acknowledging that Harshit Rana (1/30 in 7.4 overs) bowled decently in India's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan, Aakash Chopra opined that it won't work out if Mohammed Shami (0/43 in eight overs) is not at his best. He added that if Shami is unable to pick up wickets in every game, it boils down to Kuldeep Yadav and that no one should anymore ask questions about his selection.