Former India cricketer turned renowned commentator Aakash Chopra has said that playing with the veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the second Test will be helpful for them. Notably, he will come in place of Shardul Thakur, who has already been ruled out of the Lord’s Test.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra has said that Team India will necessarily have to make a change in the playing XI because of Shardul Thakur’s absence. He said: “Change in the Indian XI is almost confirmed because Shardul Thakur is not a 100% fit. The news from Lord’s is that the Indian team is not taking a chance. It is the second Test match and you don’t want to walk into the Test match with a guy who is not 100% fit. If you play such a player, you might have to pay for it.”
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He explained: “But the big question is who in place of him. Virat Kohli had said after the Nottingham Test that this is the template they like – four fast bowlers and a spinner. You cannot play four fast bowlers and a spinner now. If you do that, your batting will become extremely weak, the tail will become very long. So your combination has to change, India do not have a fast bowler who can bat, Ashwin has to come.”
Meanwhile, Team India have the option to add either Ishant Sharma or Umesh Yadav as the fourth pace bowler but they would love to include Ashwin. He also said that Mohammed Siraj should be there in the playing XI and should not be replaced by Ishant Sharma as well.
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Aakash Chopra again shared: “There is a question on who should be the third fast bowler. Ishant Sharma is practicing a lot and is looking fit as well and your heart will say to play him, you won the match in 2014 because of him. But you will not be able to play him because you should not drop Siraj now.”
“Mayank Agarwal is available for selection but the Indian team will have to continue with KL Rahul. I don’t see any change in the batting. I will like to go with just the one change,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
