India faced their first defeat on the tour to New Zealand on Wednesday, as the side conceded a four-wicket loss in the first ODI in Hamilton. Ross Taylor scored a century, while stand-in skipper Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls made valuable contributions to guide New Zealand to victory in the first game of the three-match series. The Indian bowlers failed to impress throughout the game, and the glaring fielding errors didn't help their cause.
After the game, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who is one of the experts for broadcasters Star Sports, suggested a big change in the Indian playing XI for the second ODI in Auckland.
Harbhajan stated that team India should include Yuzvendra Chahal in the second ODI and play both, Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the lineup. Both the spinners haven't played together for India since the 2019 World Cup group game against England in May.
"I would like to see both spinners playing together - Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. This New Zealand team will play fast bowlers on any given day and they will take anyone on. But when it comes to playing spinners, it has always been a case for them," Harbhajan told Star Sports.
"You can get those wickets in the middle overs. So I would like to see both the spinners play together. Maybe leave out Kedar Jadhav and play an extra spinner."
Corey Anderson, who was with Harbhajan, agreed with the spinner but insisted that it is unlikely that the team management would go with two spinners, considering the small ground size in Auckland.
"I would like to see both the spinners play for the India side but I think that they will go with only one because of the small size of the ground in Auckland. I think they can bring in a quick or strengthen the batting a bit more with an all-rounder maybe," said Anderson.
Kedar Jadhav played a decent cameo in the first ODI with the bat as he remained not out on 26 off 15 deliveries, but didn't bowl a single over for the entirety of the second innings.
