After losing the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, India suffered its first home series loss in 12 years and 18 series. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja has been among the key contributors behind India’s success in home Tests over the past decade. However, the most experienced spin pair could not pose much challenge for the Kiwis during the match. While they managed to take wickets, they also conceded runs, allowing NZ batters to take a lead of 100 runs in the first innings, despite Washington Sundar’s seven-wicket haul.
Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer, feels the duo was not at their best during the second Test. Sharing his views on his YouTube channel, he said that Sundar and New Zealand’s less experienced spinners, especially Mitchell Santner – who calls himself a part-time NZ cricketer – outperformed the two veteran spinners.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ar aging spinners- Aakash Chopra
It is believed that Indian batsmen play spin well. However, in the second Test, the Indian batters struggled to score runs against the Kiwi spinners, while the NZ batters comfortably tackled the Indian spinners and managed to score runs with ease.
The only Indian spinner who posed a challenge for the Kiwis was Sundar, who took seven wickets in the first innings and four in the second. With the bat, he also looked more comfortable than the other teammates. From the NZ side, Santner took a total of 14 wickets, seven in the first innings and six in the second.
Aakash Chopra shared, “You believe spin is our strength. However, are we bowling spin well? That is another big question because we were outbowled. Of course, Washington Sundar changed the game totally. He bowled a few overs and picked up a lot of wickets. You say ‘brilliant’ when you see his performance.”
While Ashwin picked a total of five wickets across two innings, Jadeja went wicketless in the first innings but managed to take three in the second.
“If Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are playing together and don’t do that well, you start feeling, although Ravichandran Ashwin was the Player of the Series recently. He works his way out. However, the question is going to come very soon that there will be a transition for them as well. They are the aging spinners,” Chopra added.
Aakash Chopra Pushes for Kuldeep as India’s Future Spin Leader
In the same video, the renowned commentator opined that Kuldeep Yadav could be groomed as the next primary spinner alongside Sundar. The left-arm wrist-spinner has all the skills to be a great threat to modern-day batters.
“In such a scenario, I feel India are missing a trick. Ashwin will go first because he is more aged. Jadeja is fitter and younger as well. So he will stay for longer. You need to start grooming. You started giving a chance to Washington Sundar now but you didn’t do the right thing with Kuldeep,” he said.
According to him, Kuldeep deserves a place in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series. If Kuldeep gets to play the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, he could have been on the flight to Australia, considering the Melbourne and Sydney Tests are two months away.
He further added, “You are not preparing Kuldeep and he is that guy because modern-day batters surrender against such wrist spin. However, we are not playing him. We are not being honest with him in a sense. He is being sent for injury management although he is available for the Mumbai match.”
The third Test begins on November 1, and it is a must-win for India to keep their hopes alive for the 2025 World Test Championship final. In this scenario, India will once again rely heavily on the veteran spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja.