Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has named his Indian XI for the first Test against the West Indies. He picked Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Axar Patel as the third spinner, stating that India don’t need a batter after No. 8. The first Test between India and the West Indies will take place in Ahmedabad from Thursday, October 2, onwards as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, Devdutt Padikkal at No. 5, and Dhruv Jurel at No. 6. So this is the top six I am thinking. Three spinners, among whom two are all-rounders – Ravindra Jadeja, the vice-captain, at No. 7 and Washington Sundar at No. 8. Now you have got enough batting depth. Don’t choose a batter after that. If you are thinking about playing Axar as well – No. Play Kuldeep Yadav at No. 9. That makes it your three spinners. All three spinners will have a role, and two will have a role in batting as well. Kuldeep Yadav is in red-hot form. He has recently taken 17 wickets in the Asia Cup.”
“In the first Test match, if you wish, play Bumrah, or else you can rest him. I am just saying this because he played the final on the 28th. If he is fit and available and wants to play, you play him, but if he wants a break, play Prasidh and Siraj, or else Bumrah and Siraj will play,” he shared.
However, Aakash Chopra added the significance of the India-West Indies series for KL Rahul as well.
“KL Rahul has had a strange Test career. He has scored good runs in the SENA countries. He also played well in the last series in England. However, he doesn’t have good numbers in India. These are good batting surfaces. You need to score runs here,” he said.
“These are the series if you wish to take your average close to 50, this one and the South Africa one. Make so many runs in these four Tests that your average bumps up five or six points. If you don’t do that, next time when you go overseas, there will always be a question. You don’t want question marks. This is the time you end it all,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Aakash Chopra’s Indian XI for IND vs WI 2025 1st Test:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah/Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
