"There will be a toss-up between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav" - Aakash Chopra on the potential change in India's XI for IND vs NZ 2024 1st Test
Aakash Chopra reckons India might have to choose between Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel as an additional spinner for the first Test against New Zealand. He urged the hosts to do away with their seamer-heavy approach and attack the Kiwis with spin.
The first Test of the three-match series will start in Bengaluru on Wednesday, October 16. Rohit Sharma and company went with a three-pronged seam attack in the two Tests against Bangladesh, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as the two spinners.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the reputed commentator opined India should bolster their spin attack against New Zealand by including either Axar or Kuldeep in the playing XI.
"Will they (India) want to play an extra spinner? The sort of pitches we made last time, whether we talk about the first match in Chennai and the second match in Kanpur, we tried to make slightly pace-friendly pitches. We went with three fast bowlers," he said (3:20).
"That was the game plan because you were looking forward to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and you can play pace in any case against Bangladesh but not against New Zealand. I would say let's go back to our tried and tested formula and play spin. There will be a toss-up between Axar and Kuldeep," Chopra added.
Kuldeep picked up 19 wickets at an average of 20.15 in four home Tests against England earlier this year. Axar managed five wickets at an average of 41.20 in the two Tests he played in the same series.
"I would say Kuldeep Yadav because he is a wicket-taker" - Aakash Chopra
![Kuldeep Yadav has picked up 53 wickets at an average of 21.05 in 12 Tests. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/85d6b-17289662832842-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra cast his vote in favor of Kuldeep Yadav.
"I would say Kuldeep Yadav because he is a wicket-taker. He is your left-arm wrist-spinner. He is a bowler who will trouble the opposition. Now since Kane Williamson is also not there, for the first game at least, you can try to trap them against spin," he reasoned (3:50).
While acknowledging that Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep fared well against Bangladesh, the former India opener added that it's time to unleash the left-arm wrist-spinner.
"So I would feel that you should play an extra spinner. The experiment with three fast bowlers is not a great idea in India. Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep are good, but I think now it's time for you to get Kuldeep Yadav into the team, and he picks up wickets quickly," Chopra observed.
India might have to choose between Siraj and Deep if they wish to go with three spinners and don't want to rest Bumrah. It would be a tough call as the Bengal seamer seemed to have outperformed the more experienced Siraj in the Test series against Bangladesh.