Former Indian batter and cricket expert Aakash Chopra has suggested a tactical and strategical change in India’s winning playing XI for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, which is set to take place in Dubai on Sunday, March 9.
Aakash Chopra has called for Kuldeep Yadav’s dropping in a strategic decision based on match-ups for the title clash against the Black Caps in Dubai.
The cricket pundit has demanded Washington Sundar’s inclusion in India’s XI for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, saying the off-spinner could be their secret weapon in the title clash against New Zealand.
Aakash Chopra backs Washington Sundar over Kuldeep Yadav for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final
Chopra has mentioned that Washington Sundar was picked for his off-spin variation, and the Black Caps are loaded with the left-handers, and that’s where the all-rounder could be the ideal option for this high-stakes encounter.
He reckoned that Sundar could be a game-changer for the Men in Blue in the final given his ability to exploit New Zealand’s batting lineup with his off-spin.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “I think you can play Washington Sundar in place of Kuldeep Yadav. If a tactical change needs to be done, that’s the only change I will make. I will play Washington Sundar ahead of Kuldeep Yadav for this one game. It is not a slight on how Kuldeep is bowling. However, man-to-man marking, tactically and strategically, he can actually be a good pick.”
The commentator further added, “Washington Sundar has already done well against this team, whether it was the Pune ground or the Wankhede Stadium. Washington Sundar’s resurgence started against this team only. So, there is a genuine, genuine question.”
Aakash Chopra explains why Sundar is the right choice for title clash
However, Aakash Chopra admitted that the current combination has worked well for the Men in Blue in the tournament, but they should consider a right-arm off-spinner for better balance for the summit clash against the Black Caps. He feels playing an off-spinner could be a smart tactical move for India.
Aakash Chopra signed off by saying, “There is no hard and fast rule that you need to go with the same team. Although it’s said, Why fix it if it isn’t broken? you might feel you have Varun Chakravarthy as a wrist spinner and two finger spinners in Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, but you don’t have a right-arm off-spinner, so you should play one.”
Kuldeep Yadav’s ordinary performance in the Champions Trophy 2025
Notably, Kuldeep Yadav has taken five wickets in four matches at an average of 36.60 and an economy rate of 5.01 in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy so far in Dubai, despite the conditions having favored spinners slightly.
In the final Group A match against New Zealand, the Chinaman bowler picked up two wickets but went wicketless in the semifinal against Australia.
On the other hand, India and New Zealand have played against each other four times in ICC knockout matches, with Kiwis winning three of those games. In the 2019 World Cup, the Black Caps had ended their journey in the semifinals in England.