IND vs NZ: "We May See Kuldeep Yadav Playing In Place Of Yuzvendra Chahal" - Wasim Jaffer Says 'Chinaman Spinner Brings More "Mystery To The Table"

New Zealand beat India by seven wickets in the first ODI at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, November 25. The Kiwis took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after chasing down the target with 17 balls to spare. Tom Latham scored 145 runs off 104 balls, while skipper Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten 94 runs off 98 deliveries.

After being asked to bat, Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill both scored half centuries for the Men in Blue and added 124 runs to the opening stand. Shreyas Iyer, who was the top scorer in India’s innings, dominated the match with 80 runs off 76 balls. Washington Sundar scored 37 runs off 16 balls with a strike rate of 231.25 to help India reach 306 runs.

Deepak Chahar Will Provide Depth In The Batting – Wasim Jaffer

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer told ESPN Cricinfo that the inclusion of Deepak Chahar in the line-up will add depth to the batting order and give more freedom to the top-order batsmen. Jaffer believes that Kuldeep Yadav will be given a chance to replace Yuzvendra Chahal, but Rishabh Pant will not be replaced.

“We may see Kuldeep Yadav playing in place of Yuzvendra Chahal. I think the Chinaman bowler brings more mystery to the table. Also, maybe Arshdeep get replaced by Deepak Chahar because then you will have depth in the batting. Chahar can swing the ball and since he adds strength to batting, the top-order batters can play more fearlessly,” Jaffer told Cricinfo.

“Deepak Hooda is indeed a tempting option, but I don’t think he would replace Rishabh Pant who is irreplaceable, especially in this format,” he added.

Kuldeep Yadav was selected for both the ODI and T20I series, but he didn’t get a chance to play. He played 72 One-Day Internationals for India and grabbed 118 wickets. The 27-year-old last played international cricket in October, when he took four wickets against South Africa at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

India will take on New Zealand in the second match of the three-match ODI series at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Sunday, November 27.

Also read: IND vs NZ: “Its A Learning Curve, We Can Introspect, Comeback With New Ideas In The Next Game” – Shreyas Iyer Says After Defeat Against New Zealand