Aakash Chopra picks T20I team of 2022; includes 3 Indians
Aakash Chopra has included three Indian players in his T20I team of the last calendar year.
2022 saw all teams playing a plethora of T20Is in preparation for the T20 World Cup in Australia. England emerged as the champions in the global event, defeating Pakistan in a close final.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked England skipper Jos Buttler as one of the openers, elaborating:
"The first person in my team is Jos Buttler. He is my team's captain and opener. He has the T20 World Cup trophy in his hands. He is absolutely sensational. If you see his international numbers - 462 runs in 15 matches at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 160. He regularly scored runs in crucial matches."
Mohammad Rizwan pipped Alex Hales and Virat Kohli to be Buttler's opening partner in Chopra's chosen side. The latter explained:
"There is a little fight for the second spot, whether you should keep Alex Hales or Kohli can get a place, I am going with Mohammad Rizwan. 996 runs in 25 matches at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 123. If Jos Buttler is on one side, I feel Rizwan will also hit a little more. It will work out even if he doesn't do that."
Chopra wants Suryakumar Yadav to bat at No. 3, reasoning:
"I want Suryakumar Yadav to come at No. 3. He is the world's No. 1 batter. 1164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46 and a strike rate of 187. You set the yardstick and he will live up to that. Suryakumar Yadav is my No. 3 for sure and I want to give him more overs."
Glenn Phillips was the only New Zealand player to make it to the former Indian opener's side.
"At No. 4, I have kept the guy who scored a century in the World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Sydney when New Zealand were 15/3. Glenn Phillips - 716 runs in 21 matches at an average of nearly 45 and a strike rate of 156."
Chopra picked David Miller as the only South African in this hypothetical XI, stating:
"At No. 5, I have kept the player whose stature has multiplied many fold. He has been the most improved T20 batter of the year. That's David Miller - he has played in a different fashion. 361 runs in 16 matches at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 164."
Hardik Pandya was the first all-rounder picked by the reputed commentator, with the latter observing:
"I have given a place to Hardik Pandya in my team. He picked up 20 wickets and scored 607 runs at a strike rate of 146. He has been very good. Important contributions - he batted and bowled well against Pakistan and batted amazingly well in the semi-final against England."
Chopra chose Sikandar Raza as the spin-bowling all-rounder in his side, saying:
"At No. 7, I am keeping Sikandar Raza. He has scored 735 runs in 24 matches at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 150 and picked up 25 wickets at an average of 17. It has been an extremely good year."
Raza was Zimbabwe's star performer at the T20 World Cup, scoring 219 runs and scalping 10 wickets in the eight matches they played. His exploits helped him earn a contract with the Punjab Kings at the IPL 2023 auction.
Aakash Chopra's picks of bowlers in his T20I team of 2022
Chopra picked Wanindu Hasaranga ahead of Shadab Khan as the leg-spinner, elaborating:
"I am thinking Shadab Khan or Wanindu Hasaranga. I am thinking why not Wanindu Hasaranga - 34 wickets for Sri Lanka at just 15.67. His team won the Asia Cup final, he has done well. He is a match-winner."
The 45-year-old chose Sam Curran and Haris Rauf as his first two seamers, stating:
"Then I have Sam Curran, who has 25 wickets in 19 matches. He was the Man of the Tournament and Man of the Match of the finals. He is just unbelievable. After that, I had places for two other fast bowlers. I have kept Haris Rauf - 31 wickets in 23 matches, I rate him very highly."
Chopra completed his XI by picking a third Indian player in the form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, observing:
"After that, it could have been Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Joshua Little. I am tilting towards Bhuvneshwar Kumar - you might say a slight Indian bias. I think it was a very good year for Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 37 wickets in 32 matches and an economy of 6.98."
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Aakash Chopra's T20I team of 2022: Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Suryakumar Yadav, Glenn Phillips, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, Sikandar Raza, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Haris Rauf, Bhuvneshwar Kumar