Who Will Replace Virat Kohli In India vs England 1st Test? Akash Chopra Picks Team India's Playing XI For Hyderabad Test

As India prepares to face England in the first Test starting on Thursday, January 25, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has made some noteworthy predictions about India's playing XI. Chopra suggests a surprising choice in the spin department, favouring Axar Patel over Kuldeep Yadav. Let's delve into the details of Chopra's insights and his perspective on India's strategy. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra expressed his belief that Axar Patel should be given the nod over Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner in the playing XI. Despite acknowledging Kuldeep's prowess as a wicket-taker, Chopra highlighted Axar's deserving performance in the previous home series against England. According to Chopra, the ideal spin trio for India in the first Test would comprise Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

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Batting Depth and Wicketkeeper Choice

Chopra emphasized the batting capabilities of Jadeja, Axar, and Ashwin, proposing that this prowess allows India to field a specialist wicketkeeper. With Virat Kohli absent for the first two Tests, Chopra envisions KL Rahul taking the No. 4 spot, allowing Srikar Bharat to don the wicketkeeping gloves. This strategy would enable India to have solid batting depth till No. 9.

Top Order Shuffle

Given Kohli's absence, Chopra predicts a top-order shuffle. Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open with Rohit Sharma, while Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer might form the middle order. The absence of Kohli opens up the opportunity for all three batsmen to play together in the XI.

Seam Attack for the Series Opener

In terms of seamers, Chopra expects Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to lead India's pace attack in the series opener. The quartet of Bumrah, Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan comprises the seamers in India's squad.

Chopra's Warning on Pitch Preparation

In a separate note, Chopra cautioned against preparing rank turners against England, drawing parallels with India's loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup Final. He stressed the importance of not being obsessed with pitch conditions, suggesting that a balanced pitch yielding results should be the focus.