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Aakash Chopra wants Team India to go in with a five-pronged bowling attack for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, including R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as the two spinners.
The Indian team will cross swords with the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand team in the WTC final, starting on June 18. The encounter will be played at the Aeges Bowl in Southampton, a venue that has tended to provide some assistance to spinners in the past.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra replied in the affirmative when asked by a fan if Team India should play both Ashwin and Jadeja in the WTC final.
"Both of them should be played in my opinion. The opposition team is New Zealand and not an Asian team that plays spin better. Just bite the bullet is what I say, play five bowlers including Jaddu and Ashwin. Both can do well in English conditions also," said Chopra.
While acknowledging that the English conditions might not be that conducive to spin bowling, the cricketer-turned-commentator cast his vote for variety in the bowling attack.
"Yes, you definitely have in mind that spinners might not get too much help in English conditions but we have seen that batting becomes easy when it becomes a uni-dimensional attack," observed Aakash Chopra.
Team India, under Virat Kohli, have tended to go with five specialist bowlers in the past. Two spinners will certainly be part of the playing XI if the Indian team goes that route.
"You should make Rishabh Pant bat at No.6" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Rishabh Pant can bat at No.6, with Jadeja and Ashwin's prowess with the bat allowing India to play five frontline bowlers.
"You should make Rishabh Pant bat at No.6, with Jaddu and Ashwin at No.7 and No.8, and then three fast bowlers. I think that would be the right combination unless of course if there is too much grass left on the pitch," said Chopra.
The 43-year-old signed off by stating that the Southampton pitch is unlikely to be a green top which would make the spinners redundant.
"I don't think you will have that much grass in Southampton. Yes, grass will be there but I will be a little surprised if it is a green pitch with moisture. So, I would want to stick to my guns and play Ashwin and Jadeja together," concluded Aakash Chopra.
Moeen Ali proved that spinners could be extremely effective on the Southampton pitch in India's last two visits to England. The off-spinner scalped 17 wickets across the two Tests as India suffered defeats in both those encounters.
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