Akash Deep in for Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar for Kuldeep Yadav, and Shubman Gill for KL Rahul, Team India went in with three changes for the 2nd IND vs NZ Test in Pune. While they might seem as the only sane choices, given the ordinary performances by Rahul, Siraj, and Kuldeep in Bengaluru, ex-India skipper has come down heavily on the selection.
Kuldeep Yadav vs Washington Sundar
As per the legend, these changes have come after India has pressed the “panic button”. “I don’t see a lot of teams making three changes unless there are injury concerns. Washington Sundar’s inclusion tells you they are worried about their batting.
More than his bowling, they need his batting down the order as the cushion. Yes, there is a lot of talk about the left-handers in the New Zealand batting unit, but I would have picked Kuldeep Yadav, who can also turn it away from a left-hander,” Gavaskar said.
In fact, Gavaskar was not the only one surprised from this decision, but former Aussie chinaman bowler, Brad Hogg also made his views known. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Sundar in the team when you have Ashwin doing the same thing is difficult to comprehend. Kuldeep adds a point of difference.”
For the record, Kuldeep Yadav had picked three wickets in the Bengaluru Test, but had failed to impress in the second. Having said that, even Washington Sundar hasn’t done too badly either in Tests, in whatever opportunities he has gotten. In the 4 Tests he has scored runs at an average of 96, and has picked six wickets so far.
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