New Delhi: As India prepare to face Australia in the third and final ODI of the series, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has weighed in on the team’s combination and suggested a key change that could help them avoid a rare whitewash at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.
The Shubman Gill-led side has already lost the series after suffering defeats in the first two ODIs. Sharing his views on X, Chopra said spinner Kuldeep Yadav is likely to feature in the Sydney encounter, given the conditions that tend to assist spinners.
“Kuldeep likely to play at Sydney. Perhaps, a slightly spin-friendly surface…could easily come in for a pacer. Given the batting performance in the first two ODIs, I’m not expecting the team to drop a batter for a bowler. Very unlikely,” he wrote.
The former India opener also highlighted the importance of batting depth in modern-day white-ball cricket, saying teams can no longer afford to rely on just seven batters — particularly when key players are struggling for form.
“It’s all fine to say if seven batters aren’t enough, eight won’t make a difference too. But let’s be honest — modern-day white-ball cricket demands some batting ability at No. 8. It becomes even more difficult to field only seven batters if the batting form of many is a concern and the pitches are bowler-friendly,” Chopra noted, adding that India’s recent success has come from maintaining that balance.
After losing the rain-affected opener in Perth by seven wickets, India suffered another setback in Adelaide on Thursday. While Rohit Sharma returned to form with a strong knock, Virat Kohli endured a second consecutive duck, raising concerns about his rhythm ahead of the final clash.
All eyes will now be on how Team India adjust their strategy and lineup in Sydney as they look to avoid a 3–0 sweep.
