India seemed to have press the panic button after losing the first Test in Bengaluru.
After losing the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru last week, India skipper Rohit Sharma had said that they would not press the panic button.
However, the hosts made three significant changes to their playing XI for the second Test, prompting pundits to wonder whether the team was under pressure in the lead-up to the must win match in Pune.
India sidelined KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI. Shubman Gill, who missed the series opener due to stiff neck, replaced Rahul in the line-up while Akash Deep came in place of Siraj as the second pacer
On the other hand, Kuldeep was dropped to accommodate Washington Sundar, who was added to the squad after the Bengaluru Test. Sundar returned to the XI for the first time since March 2021 and was preferred over Axar Patel, who has been one of India's premier spinners in home Tests.
Former Indian captain Anil Kumble expressed his surprise over Washington Sundar's addition to the XI and said that the other two changes are understandable.
Kumble hoped the team management has communicated properly with the players who were left out of the XI.
"Under pressure, bowled out for 46. You expected things to happen and it didn’t. He (Kuldeep) would have wanted the ball in hand here. He will be disappointed with that," Kumble told the broadcasters.
"I thought KL Rahul was at No. 6, but he has been moved up and down the order. Yes, on form, Sarfaraz gets the opportunity. In the scheme of things, as long as the messaging for the three missing players is clear, it’s fine," he added.
"Otherwise, I am really surprised that India had to make 3 changes. You really had Axar Patel, who probably won the Test series in India not just with the ball, but with the bat. I am a bit surprised that Washington had come in and straightaway made it to the playing XI."
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that the Indian think tank may have panicked a bit and bringing in Sundar was more to add cushion to the batting order.
"I don't see a lot of teams making three changes unless there are injury concerns. Washington Sundar inclusion which actually 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 stated.
Meanwhile, former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull opined that the team did not panic but has steered away from the talks of backing players.
"I don’t think, they have pressed the panic button. It just surprises me a little bit. There were press conferences before the tour about backing players, backing their ability and all of a sudden, after one Test match, you are saying the guy who was good enough in the first Test match is now not good enough. Okay, Sarfaraz knocked the door down with that big 150. But, you are all of a sudden not backing the guy that you backed in Test match No. 1," Doull remarked.
"Washington Sundar, coming off runs in domestic cricket, straightaway is in the XI. Does that tell me they are not happy with how Ashwin bowled? But they are bringing in another off-spinner because he (Ashwin) didn’t bowl well in the first test. I will tell you what, he will bowl well here. Akash, I can understand. It’s interesting," he added.
India’s paying XI for Pune Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah