India has continued to rotate their squad during the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand, managing workloads while maintaining dominance. Among the specialist pacers, only two of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana have featured in each of the first three matches. The spin attack has also seen regular changes, with Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav taking turns in the playing XI.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Axar Patel could make a return for the fourth T20I at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, January 28. The Indian vice-captain played the series opener before being rested for the next two games.

However, Chopra was clear that Varun Chakravarthy should not be benched, stressing that the mystery spinner’s rhythm could suffer if he is rested unnecessarily. Varun currently features only in the T20I format for India.

“You might see Axar Patel playing if he is fit. Will Arshdeep play this one with Bumrah being rested? That is also possible. But I definitely want Varun Chakravarthy to play,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“I want Varun to play because he plays only one format. Resting a one-format player is not a great thing. No matter how good you are, everyone needs rhythm. If something is working, why stop it?” he added.

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Chopra also felt New Zealand, who have already lost the series after defeats in the first three matches, will need something extraordinary to halt India’s momentum.

“New Zealand will have to do something special to stop this juggernaut. India could go 4–0 up, or they might experiment and allow New Zealand to sneak one game,” he said.

The former cricketer further warned that dew could play a decisive role in Visakhapatnam, a venue known for high-scoring encounters due to its coastal conditions. Backing Suryakumar Yadav’s men to continue their run, Chopra said India have little left to prove.

“A lot of dew comes in at Vizag. The ground is right next to the sea, and it’s a high-scoring venue. I feel India should win again. There are no boxes left to tick, India is doing everything right, and it feels good,” he concluded.