Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra analyzed India's left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder dilemma for the 2027 ODI World Cup, addressing the selection hierarchy between Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.
Chopra pointed out that the Indian team management calls Jadeja an indispensable, core member of the squad, yet often leaves him out of the playing XI.
For instance, during a three-match ODI series against the West Indies, Jadeja played the first two games but was left out of the playing XI for the final match, even though Axar was absent from the squad due to the Asian Games commitments.
Chopra believes Axar is currently ahead in the team selection race if both players remain fit, and the management's actions indicate they may have already shifted their primary focus toward the 32-year-old for upcoming ODI fixtures.
"I would keep Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja's names with a slash. However, no matter what they keep saying about Ravindra Jadeja, the truth is that there is a visible difference between what they say and what they do. We hear he is a very important member, but you are not playing him," Chopra said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
"You should have played him in the last match as well because he also needs some game time. In my opinion, Axar Patel is ahead in that race. I feel Ravindra Jadeja is falling behind. Maybe the selectors have already made up their minds. If both remain fit, Axar has run ahead," he added.
In the same video, Chopra highlighted India's critical need to prepare young seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy as a vital backup for Hardik Pandya ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Pandya remains India's premier seam-bowling all-rounder, but his recurring injury concerns mean India desperately needs a reliable contingency option.
While Chopra feels Nitish is currently leading the pack among backup options, he is inexperienced at the international level.
"If Hardik (Pandya) isn't there, or else if you need one more seam-bowling all-rounder with Hardik, this is where the real discussion starts. One is Nitish Kumar Reddy. He is ahead of everyone else in the race at the moment. Nitish Kumar Reddy is there, but he is not ready yet," Chopra stated.
Chopra argued that if India fail to consistently give Nitish match-time and grooming, they will be left highly vulnerable at the World Cup if Pandya becomes unavailable.
"We are not allowing him to get ready. How are we going to prepare? Preparing Nitish Kumar Reddy is Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir's biggest responsibility. If we fail in that responsibility, the World Cup can trouble us a lot if, God forbid, something happens to Hardik Pandya," he remarked.
