The absence of Ravindra Jadeja, according to former India opener Aakash Chopra, will be a major blow for India in the second Test against England in Vizag. As Ravindra Jadeja is replaced by Washington Sundar in the Test squad, Aakash Chopra believes that Sundar does not have the same all-around ability as the top-ranked Test all-rounder.
In Hyderabad, Rohit Sharma and co. lost the first Test by a margin of 28 runs. Beginning on Friday, February 2, they will play the visitors in the second game of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam. Jadeja’s hamstring issue will prevent him from playing in the pivotal match.
Jadeja has been ruled out along with KL Rahul, while Sarfaraz Khan has been called up to replace Rahul. As the top-ranked Test all-rounder, Jadeja’s job is crucial, and Aakash Chopra emphasized his noteworthy contributions with the bat and the ball.
You are going to miss both Ravindra Jadeja the batter and Ravindra Jadeja the bowler- Aakash Chopra
Jadeja once again demonstrated his prowess with the bat and ball despite India’s defeat in the first Test. With 87 runs in the first innings, the southpaw top-scored for his side and claimed five wickets with the ball.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed his opinion that, in Jadeja’s absence, India could need to play Sundar. However, he said that the Tamil Nadu all-rounder is not a great substitute for the Saurashtra player, explaining (3:25):
“You are going to miss both Jadeja the batter and Jadeja the bowler. Jaddu is this team’s life. There is no doubt that he is the World No. 1 Test all-rounder. You got such a big first-innings lead because of Ravindra Jadeja. He also picks up a minimum of two to three wickets and is a gun fielder.”
He will give control but won’t be able to give wickets- Aakash Chopra on Washington Sundar
During England’s last tour of India, Sundar participated in three Tests. Despite amassing 181 runs at an impressive average of 90.50 during his four innings of play, he only claimed two wickets at a poor average of 65.00. His bowling average is on the higher side but he’s a much better bowler than what the statistics show.
Aakash Chopra expressed skepticism on Sundar’s capacity to emulate Jadeja’s influence, pointing out that while Sundar can exert control over the ball, he might not be as successful at taking wickets. Aakash clarified that Sundar is not a direct substitute for Jadeja, although praising his skill as a batter and his accuracy when bowling off-spin.
“When Jaddu is not there, you feel you should pick a bowler who can bat as well. So you start thinking about Washington Sundar. He will give control but won’t be able to give wickets. He might give as much batting, he is a very good batter, but he is not Jaddu,” Chopra explained.
England might fall into the trap if they don’t read him from the hand- Aakash Chopra on why playing Kuldeep Yadav could be appealing to India
According to Aakash Chopra, Kuldeep Yadav is a more alluring choice for an attacking spinner. He explained (4:30):
“Playing two off-spinners becomes a question if the pitch is not an extreme turner. So you would want to play Kuldeep because you have to do something different to stop the reverse sweeps and switch sweeps. Kuldeep Yadav can do that because they (England) might fall into the trap if they don’t read him from the hand.”
According to the respected commentator , the hosts will have to decide between Kuldeep and Sundar based on which department they wish to strengthen.
“Multiple problems arise because of Jadeja’s absence. Of course, Bharat’s batting has given a little confidence. So he can bat slightly up the order but whom should they play down the order? If you want wickets – Kuldeep Yadav, if you want batting – Washington Sundar,” he added.
Chopra believes that Saurabh Kumar, a left-arm orthodox spinner, cannot play ahead of Kuldeep and does not see the cricketer making his debut in the Visakhapatnam Test. He said in closing that India’s lack of many first-team regulars had left them in a difficult position.