IND vs NZ: Anil Kumble, Sunil Gavaskar share views on India's changes in Pune Test

Rohit Sharma said after the eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru that India won't press the panic button going forward. However, the Indian captain announced three changes at the toss ahead of the second Test, which got underway at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday, October 24. After this interesting development, experts started wondering whether the hosts were under pressure leading into the all-important second Test.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first. He also announced that Matt Henry, who suffered a glute niggle ahead of the encounter, has been replaced in the playing XI by Mitchell Santner. However, there were no forced changes for India as Shubman Gill, Akash Deep, and Washington Sundar replaced KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav in the side.

Shubman missed the first Test due to neck stiffness, while Washington was added to the squad ahead of this game. The latter is making his return to the Test arena for the first time since March 2021. He was picked in the playing XI ahead of the in-form Axar Patel, who was with the squad from the beginning, and this surprised former India captain Anil Kumble.

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"Under pressure, bowled out for 46. You expected things to happen and it didn’t. He (Kuldeep) would have wanted the ball in hand here. He will be disappointed with that," Anil Kumble told the broadcasters on Thursday, October 24.

"I thought KL Rahul was at No. 6, but he has been moved up and down the order. Yes, on form, Sarfaraz gets the opportunity. In the scheme of things, as long as the messaging for the three missing players is clear, it’s fine. Otherwise, I am really surprised that India had to make 3 changes. You really had Axar Patel, who probably won the Test series in India not just with the ball, but with the bat. I am a bit surprised that Washington had come in and straightaway made it to the playing XI," the former leg-spinner added.

I would have picked Kuldeep Yadav: Sunil Gavaskar

The legendary Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that India were worried about their batting depth and that was the rationale behind Washington's addition ahead of Kuldeep. However, the former India opener said that he would have retained Kuldeep in the line-up.

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"I don't see a lot of teams making three changes unless there are injury concerns. Washington Sundar inclusion which actually tells you they are worried about their batting. More than his bowling, they need his batting down the order as the cushion. Yes, there is a lot of talk about the left-handers in the New Zealand batting unit, but I would have picked Kuldeep Yadav, who can also turn it away from a left-hander," Gavaskar said.