File image of R Ashwin, Gautam Gambhir and Ravindra Jadeja.© AFP
Former India opener turned cricket pundit Aakash Chopra has called out the selection process of Team India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The main point that Chopra put across was the chopping and changing of the lone spin-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI. Chopra remarked that India seem to be playing a different spinner every game, and remarked that had Kuldeep Yadav been a part of the squad, he would’ve been chosen in the fourth Test.
In the third Test, experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was brought in as the lone spinner in the India XI in place of Ravichandran Ashwin. Earlier, Washington Sundar had been picked as the lone spinner for the first Test in Perth, and despite India’s victory, was dropped in favour of Ashwin.
“It seems they want to play a new spinner in every Test match. Washi played in the first, Ashwin played in the second, and Jadeja is playing in the third. Kuldeep might have played in the fourth had he been there, and someone else in the fifth if one more spinner was there,” said Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel.
Speaking about the constant changes made in this regard, Chopra brought up a comparison to one’s food choices. He also added that he felt none of the players had done anything wrong to warrant being dropped.
“No one had done anything wrong. Neither did Washington Sundar do anything wrong in Perth nor did Ravichandran Ashwin do anything wrong in Adelaide,” Chopra said.
“There is no continuity. It’s like wanting to eat a cassata ice cream today, a sundae tomorrow, and then vanilla and chocolate,” added Chopra.
India will be hoping to bounce back and take the lead of the series in the third Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. However, weather conditions and rain may play an unforeseen role.
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