Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has picked the probable playing XI for the first T20I match against Afghanistan. The game will be played in Mohali, on January 11. The former cricketer has not given the place to the leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar.
Bishnoi and Sundar are two of the four primary spinners included in India’s 16-member squad, alongside Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. The absence of Virat Kohli will be felt by the Men in Blue in the series opener, as he has chosen not to participate in the game due to personal reasons.
After the confirmation by the head coach Rahul Dravid that Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the innings, Aakash Chopra expressed his opinion that Shubman Gill might step in to fill Virat Kohli’s position at No. 3.
He said, “The Indian team’s coach Rahul Dravid has said that you will see Yashasvi with Rohit as an opener as that’s the right way to go. There will be a question at No. 3. Will Shubman be seen at No. 3? At times, you play a player just to keep the seat warm. So as soon as Kohli comes, Gill will be out, that’s a possibility.”
Aakash Chopra suggests that India might consider having Tilak Varma at No. 3 and explore the possibility of including both Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson in the playing XI as an alternative option.
“If Gill doesn’t play at No. 3 hypothetically, who will you play? You can play Tilak Varma at No. 3. Then you can play Rinku Singh at No. 4. You can have a direct shoot-out between Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson at No. 5 and No. 6, or else you can keep Shivam Dube there.”
Chopra highlighted that India might have an abundance of left-handed batsmen in the top six if Shivam Dube is picked over Samson.
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“Shivam Dube can be there and then Jitesh Sharma can play at No. 6. That is also a possibility. So plenty of left-handers – Yashasvi as an opener, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube. There could be four left-handers in the top six if you need an extra bowler.”
Aakash Chopra has picked Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as his two spinners. While picking the seamers he went with Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Arshdeep Singh.
