Aakash Chopra picks both Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to play WTC final against New Zealand

Aakash Chopra, the former Indian batter, reckons that Virat Kohli and Co should include both Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, starting June 18.

Chopra said that India should “bite the bullet” and take the field at the Rose Bowl in Southampton with five bowlers, including Ashwin and Jadeja, bearing in mind the Kiwis’ potential weakness against spin.

The Kiwis recently played the opening Test against England and didn’t face a specialist spinner as Joe Root was the only tweaker in the opposition camp. Chopra strongly believes that Ashwin and Jadeja can do wonders in English conditions, traditionally known for assisting the fast bowlers.

Both can do well in English conditions also: Aakash Chopra

“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,” Chopra was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.

“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,” he added.

Ashwin is currently third in the list of leading wicket-takers in the WTC. In 13 games, the Tamil Nadu-born has picked up 67 wickets and needs four wickets to reach the top, surpassing Australia’s Pat Cummins, who has 70 scalps from 14 games.

Jadeja, on the other hand, didn’t play the Test series against England as he was recovering from an injury. He has picked 28 wickets from 10 games in the WTC. Earlier, Danish Kaneria, the former Pakistan cricketer, called Jadeja India’s trump card in the final as he is a “triple-dimensional” player due to his batting, bowling, and fielding skills.

“Because I think that bowlers play a very important role, irrespective of what format you’re playing. If they’re taking wickets, they’ll win the match. If we talk about Ravindra Jadeja, he is a triple-dimensional player. He is such a player that you just can’t keep him out, he simply has to play,” Kaneria had said.