"Then we are just barking at the wrong tree" - Aakash Chopra on India's potential bowling lineup for ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Shubman Gill and company would take the wrong call if they play Washington Sundar ahead of Kuldeep Yadav in the second Test against England just for batting depth. He termed the potential decision of not including the left-arm wrist-spinner in the playing XI a travesty.

India will lock horns with England in the second Test in Birmingham from Wednesday, July 2, onwards. The visitors are 1-0 behind in the five-match series, having lost the first Test in Leeds by five wickets.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener cast his vote against Sundar playing ahead of Kuldeep.

"As per reports from Edgbaston, only two fast bowlers will play, who will be Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj. Two spinners will play, in which Ravindra Jadeja is confirmed, and there are extremely bright chances of Washington Sundar playing, and Nitish Kumar Reddy can play in place of Shardul Thakur, which means Nitish at No. 7, Jadeja at No. 8, and it could be possibly Washington at No. 9," Chopra said (3:00).

"Is it a good thought process? I concur slightly less with it. I feel you should play Kuldeep Yadav, and if you are still unable to play Kuldeep Yadav, it will be an absolute travesty. If we are going towards Washi, and just with the thinking that who bats better, then we are just barking at the wrong tree," he added.

Kuldeep Yadav has picked up 56 wickets at an average of 22.16 in 13 Tests. Washington Sundar has accounted for 25 dismissals at an average of 25.64 in nine Tests, and has also contributed 468 runs at an average of 42.54 in 16 innings.

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"Perhaps not the right direction" - Aakash Chopra on India potentially leaving out Kuldeep Yadav for ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Kuldeep Yadav (left) has picked up 21 wickets at an average of 22.28 in six Tests against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India's potential decision to lengthen their batting by leaving out Kuldeep Yadav could prove counterproductive, as it did in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

"We might take 20 wickets and win the match, but we won't do right in terms of philosophy. If we are still unable to show the courage to play Kuldeep, then this team is going in a slightly different direction, which is perhaps not the right direction. We got burnt in BGT," he said (4:00).

While acknowledging that he too had picked Nitish Kumar Reddy in his playing XI, the cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that he wanted the all-rounder to bat at No. 6 and not at No. 7.

"So, if we are not learning from that too, when will we learn? Nitish Kumar Reddy was in my original team, but as a batter at No. 6. To bat at No. 7, it's too low, and then Jadeja at No. 8. After that, at least, don't think about playing a spinner who bats better, and if we compare spin to spin and see so many right-handers in the opposition, Kuldeep Yadav is a no-brainer," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra also highlighted that Ravindra Jadeja's recent Test bowling numbers aren't flattering. He added that it won't work out if the spin-bowling all-rounder isn't among the wickets.