Gavaskar, Murali Kartik disagree with India’s playing XI in second Test against New Zealand- The Week

With India staring at a rare home series defeat in Tests—they have not lost one since 2013—the second Test against New Zealand in Pune saw the hosts making three changes to their playing XI

India had went down to the Kiwis by eight wickets in the first Test at Bengaluru, having been dismissed for a paltry 46 in the first innings in that match. It was New Zealand’s first Test win on Indian soil in 36 years.

The hosts replaced Mohammed Siraj and KL Rahul with Akash Deep and Shubman Gill respectively, while all-rounder Washington Sundar was picked ahead of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

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Former India great Sunil Gavaskar, who is one of the commentators for the Test, slammed the selection, calling it a “panic decision”.

“I don’t see a lot of teams making three changes unless there are injury concerns. Including Washington Sundar tells you they are worried about their batting. More than his bowling, they need his batting down the order as the cushion,” Gavaskar said during the broadcast.

Dismissing suggestions that off-spinner Sundar might have been picked, considering the number of left-handers in the New Zealand batting lineup, Gavaskar said, “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.”

Fellow commentator and former India left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, too, was surprised by Sundar’s inclusion, and said that left-arm spinner Axar Patel could have been chosen. “Yeah, a touch surprised by the Kuldeep Yadav change. Also, there is someone like Axar Patel, who played well in Australia, didn’t get much chance with the ball.

“Kuldeep Yadav had a lot of variety to provide. He didn’t have too many runs to play with in the previous Test. Something a spinner needs in Test cricket,” he said.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, however, backed India’s decision to bring in Akash Deep and Sundar.

Siraj has been out of form in Tests at home, having picked up only 12 wickets in the last seven Tests in India. Siraj’s record of 19 wickets in 13 home Tests seems to have tilted the scales in favour of Akash Deep, who impressed in the Test series against England and Bangladesh.