Ojha also speaks about Hardik Pandya's selection chances for the first Test in Chennai.
Former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha has picked the chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the Gabba star Washington Sundar as the second spin option for India alongside the experienced off-spinner R Ashwin for the first Test of the upcoming four-Test series against England.
With the first Test starting February 5 (Friday) in Chennai just around the corner, the talks of the team composition have caught the pace now, especially about the bowling composition since there are so many performers in the Indian squad and most of them are in good form.
Since the upcoming Test series will be playing in the sub-continent conditions, Team India might go with the three pacers and two spinners or two pacers and three spinners against England and if the hosts choose the second option, then Akshar Patel should be the third spin option, according to Ojha.
Well, explaining his pick, former spinner said Akshar, who was handed maiden Test call up, can bat and keep things tight like Ravindra Jadeja.
On picking the chinaman bowler over Sundar, Ojha said Kuldeep’s variations would be handier for the Indian cricket team than the all-rounder against England.
Ojha told on Sports Today: “I think Kuldeep Yadav should get a chance with Ashwin and then Axar Patel. Washington Sundar was the hero in Australia, but we have Ashwin and why not have variation there. We can have someone like Kuldeep Yadav, who can bowl chinaman. If you are looking for another spinner then Axar can bat for you and keep things tight like Jadeja.”
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Meanwhile, the 34-year-old believes that Hardik Pandya's selection for the Chennai Test will depend on the MA Chidambaram wicket while stressing the all-rounder should be 100% fit to play in Test cricket.
The former cricketer has admitted that Pandya is “a very big asset” for India, but for being that he must start bowling again while expressing concern over the all-rounder’s match fitness since he hasn’t played a Test match since September 2018 and even stayed away from bowling even in the white-ball cricket.
Ojha further explained, “It depends on the wicket, how the wicket is going to behave. Then they will go with either one spinner or maybe with Hardik. Yes, he is a very big asset for any team he plays for, given the fact that he needs to bowl.
If he starts bowling, as Deep Dasgupta was saying that they will be monitoring him, he is someone our team will be preparing for the England series but everything comes down to his bowling, can he bowl?”
He signed off by saying, “Because if you talk about Test match it's totally different. In white-ball cricket, you have a maximum of two or three spells and T20 is just 4 overs. So, it’s just totally different but in a Test match every session you have to bowl, your body warms up, then it cools down, then again you have to come to warm up and bowl.
So, every session when you are bowling and doing that, let' see how he takes all that. That's a reason Test cricket is very important and he needs to be 100 percent fit.”
(With India Today Inputs)