Aakash Chopra picks India's probable XI for IND vs SA 2024 1st T20I, no place for Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan
Aakash Chopra has picked India's probable XI for the first T20I against South Africa. He expects Ramandeep Singh and Yash Dayal to make their debuts and doesn't see Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan featuring in the XI.
The first game of the four-match T20I series will be played in Durban on Friday, November 8. The 15-member Indian squad, which has Ramandeep, Dayal, and Vijaykumar Vyshak as the new faces, will be captained by Suryakumar Yadav.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that Tilak Varma has to be a part of the visitors' playing XI.
"If I look at the XI, there will be a question that will you play Tilak Varma at No. 4 if you play him. You will have to play him because Nitish Kumar Reddy isn't there and you need some batting depth as well," he reasoned (8:40).
Chopra reckons either Tilak or Rinku Singh will bat at No. 4, with the other playing at No. 6.
"So my predicted playing XI is Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, and then either Tilak or Rinku at No. 4, Hardik (Pandya) at No. 5, and then Tilak/Rinku at No. 6. So that makes it your batting till No. 6," he observed.
Tilak has aggregated 336 runs at a strike rate of 139.41 in 15 T20I innings. He also captained India A in the recent Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
"Will you keep Axar at No. 7?" - Aakash Chopra on Ramandeep Singh's place in India's playing XI against South Africa
![Ramandeep Singh excelled for KKR in IPL 2024 and India A in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/41d5b-17310415232620-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that India should include Ramandeep Singh in the XI, as playing Axar Patel at No. 7 as the only bowling all-rounder would compromise the batting.
"Will Ramandeep be played or not, that's a big question, because will you keep Axar at No. 7? Maybe not. I feel No. 7 will be too early because you will then have four bowlers after No. 7. I feel Ramandeep Singh will play. He bowls a little and they might get him to bowl a few overs with Hardik Pandya," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by picking Varun Chakaravarthy and Yash Dayal ahead of Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan.
"Then you will get Axar Patel at No. 8, Varun Chakaravarthy at No. 9, and two fast bowlers - Arshdeep Singh and Yash Dayal. There are extremely bright chances of Yash Dayal making his debut here because you have kept a left-arm pacer. I feel this will be the XI where you have three fast-bowling options plus Ramandeep and two proper spinners," Chopra elaborated.
Aakash Chopra's probable Indian XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Dayal