"Do you mandatorily need 3 fast bowlers plus Nitish Kumar Reddy?" - Aakash Chopra on potential change in India's XI for AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion could be the only potential change in the Men in Blue's playing XI for the second ODI against Australia. He noted that the left-arm wrist-spinner can be accommodated in the XI if the visitors can go with only two specialist pacers, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy as a seam-bowling all-rounder.

The second ODI of the three-match series between India and Australia will be played in Adelaide on Thursday, October 23. Kuldeep wasn't part of India's playing XI in their seven-wicket loss via the DLS method in the first ODI in Perth on Sunday, October 19.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that the early-summer conditions in Adelaide might not favor spinners and wondered whether Kuldeep can replace a specialist seamer.

"This pitch is usually flat, but this is early summer. You see a little more grass, the side boundaries are slightly short, and the conditions are likely to be overcast. So, will fast bowlers be required more? That is a big question. If the pitch is absolutely flat and you are playing a match in December here, you say you need an extra spinner," Chopra said (3:15). "However, the conditions could be overcast and the pitch could be greener and have moisture here. So will you be able to go with two fast bowlers instead of three? There isn't much scope for change in the Indian team. You wish for just one player to come in, and that's Kuldeep Yadav. Two conditions apply for him to come in. One is - do you mandatorily need three fast bowlers plus Nitish Kumar Reddy?" he added.

Aakash Chopra opined that either Harshit Rana or Arshdeep Singh can be left out if India don't need a third seamer. While Arshdeep registered figures of 1/31 in five overs in the first ODI against Australia, Harshit went wicketless and conceded 27 runs in four overs.

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"The second question is whether you need a batter at No. 8 or not" - Aakash Chopra on the other way of including Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI

Nitish Kumar Reddy batted at No. 8 in the first ODI against Australia. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India will have to alternatively compromise a batter at No. 8 to accommodate Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI.

"If you need three fast bowlers, the second question is whether you need a batter at No. 8 or not. Thus far, the Indian team has shown great eagerness to have a batter at No. 8. It's almost compulsory that there should be a batter at No. 8. For that, you have to play both Washington Sundar and Axar Patel because then only you will get batting at No. 8," he said.

While acknowledging Kuldeep's brilliance, the cricketer-turned-commentator also pointed out that spinners haven't enjoyed much such success in Adelaide.

"If you play Kuldeep Yadav at No. 8 and three fast bowlers after that, your bowling will become strong, but your batting will end at No. 7. As brilliant as Kuldeep is, fast bowlers have an average of 29 at this ground and spinners have an average of 71, and the side boundaries are quite small," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra highlighted that he isn't saying Kuldeep Yadav shouldn't be played. However, he reiterated that the potent spinner can only play if India don't need either a third specialist seamer or a batter at No. 8.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer