Aakash Chopra backs Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion in India’s XI for AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra urged the team management to include Kuldeep Yadav in the second ODI against Australia. The visitors decided to play two finger spinners in Washington Sundar and Axar Patel, and also picked a seam-bowling all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made his ODI debut.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep has been in splendid form as he took 12 wickets in two Test matches against the West Indies and also picked 17 wickets in the Asia Cup as he has been bowling at the top of his game. 

“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 on his YouTube Channel.

“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.

It has been noted that India pays extra importance to batting depth under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching. Chopra questioned if India would need a batter at number eight position in the second game of the series.

“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.

The renowned commentator pointed out that spinners don’t have a great record while playing at the Adelaide Oval.

“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.

The second ODI between India and Australia will be played at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.