"I feel they will want a lot to play Kuldeep Yadav" - Aakash Chopra on India's probable bowling lineup for 2024 T20 World Cup clash vs Afghanistan

Aakash Chopra reckons Kuldeep Yadav will definitely be in India's scheme of things for their 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against Afghanistan. However, he doesn't see the left-arm wrist-spinner replacing Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI.

The Rohit Sharma and Rashid Khan-led sides will begin their Super 8 campaign in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday, June 20. The Men in Blue fielded Jadeja and Axar Patel as their two spinners, along with three specialist seamers, in all their Group A games in New York.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that India would wish to play Kuldeep but added that the underperforming Jadeja is unlikely to make way for him.

"I feel they will want a lot to play Kuldeep Yadav. Should Ravindra Jadeja play or should Kuldeep be played? Now that is a big question. I feel Jaddu will definitely play. Although his performance thus far has been no runs, no wickets and no catches, I feel he will play this game as well," he said (2:40).

The former India opener noted that Axar will also be a part of the playing XI and might be seen operating with the new ball against Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran.

"Axar Patel will also play here and you might see him bowling with the new ball in the powerplay. The two Afghanistan openers, Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, have scored runs thus far, but both get stuck slightly against left-arm spin. So that's why I was saying whether Axar Patel can come to bowl with the new ball in the first six overs," Chopra stated.

Chopra opined that Axar would surely bowl at least two overs in the powerplay if India play three spinners. He reckons the left-arm spinner might bowl at most one over in the powerplay if India field three specialist seamers.

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"Play Kuldeep Yadav if the pitch is even slightly spin-friendly" - Aakash Chopra

Kuldeep Yadav has picked up 59 wickets in 34 T20I innings.

Aakash Chopra wants Kuldeep Yadav to replace Mohammed Siraj in the playing XI if the Barbados pitch is spin-friendly.

"Play Kuldeep Yadav if the pitch is even slightly spin-friendly. Then play him in place of Siraj. So you will have Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav as your three proper bowlers who don't bat," he said in the same video (3:00).

The reputed commentator noted that India would still have batting till No. 8 in such a scenario.

"You will get batting till Axar Patel at No. 8. You can also move Axar up and Jaddu down. You have that option available as well but I feel the Indian team will go with this sort of team," Chopra observed.

Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed for a golden duck against Pakistan in his only knock in the preliminary group stage. Axar Patel scored a crucial 18-ball 20 in the same game and might be preferred over his fellow left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder in the batting order.