"As unfortunate as it might be, I feel it will be Ravi Bishnoi" - Aakash Chopra on the spinner potentially being dropped for IND vs SA 2024 2nd T20I
Aakash Chopra reckons Ravi Bishnoi might be dropped for the second T20I between India and South Africa if the visitors play only two spinners. He reasoned that Axar Patel is virtually undroppable and Varun Chakaravarthy can't be touched either.
India will square off against South Africa in the second T20I of the four-match series in Gqeberha on Sunday, November 10. The Men in Blue head into the game with a 1-0 lead after registering an emphatic 61-run win in the first game in Durban two days ago.
Previewing the second T20I in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that Bishnoi might have to make way if Suryakmumar Yadav and company play only two spinners.
"The big question is whether three spinners will play again. Based on what I saw in the SA20, the pitch in Gqeberha is slightly tacky, it's not very good. So will India play three spinners? I am not 100 percent certain. However, if they don't play, who will they drop because Axar can't be dropped?" he said (7:30).
"If you see this team, Axar is batting at No. 7. You won't drop someone who is batting at No. 7. One of the spinners below him will have to go if you go with two spinners. Who will that be - Varun Chakaravarthy or Ravi Bishnoi? As unfortunate as it might be, I feel it will be Ravi Bishnoi because, at this point in time, no one is touching Varun Chakaravarthy," Chopra added.
Chakaravarthy (3/25) and Bishnoi (3/28) were India's most successful bowlers in the first T20I against South Africa. However, while Chakaravarthy dismissed the more established batters in Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, Bishnoi dismantled the Proteas lower-middle order.
"Varun Chakaravarthy has moved ahead in the line" - Aakash Chopra on his competition with Ravi Bishnoi
![Varun Chakaravarthy has picked up eight wickets in his last four T20I games. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/c21dc-17312086621613-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Varun Chakaravarthy seems to have stolen a march over Ravi Bishnoi.
"He (Chakaravarthy) first played against Bangladesh, picked up five wickets in three matches, and took three wickets in the last match as well. If we see from that viewpoint, Varun Chakaravarthy has moved ahead in the line. If two spinners play, I am seeing Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy playing," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also sees Ramandeep Singh, who impressed as a substitute fielder in the first T20I, making his debut if India play only two spinners.
"If that happens, the option will be whether to play an out-and-out fast bowler or give Ramandeep his debut. I saw Ramandeep wearing a medal and Suryakumar Yadav also posted a story that he didn't play but left his impact. Ramandeep bowls a little medium pace and hits a lot of sixes," Chopra observed.
"Even if you are playing three spinners, you are giving bowling to only two. Axar bowled just one over. You will want Axar, if he is playing, to bowl more overs. You need a batter like Axar at No. 8 in modern-day T20 cricket. So I am thinking there are bright chances of Ramandeep Singh making his debut, and if someone misses out, it will be Ravi Bishnoi," he added.
Chopra also urged Abhishek Sharma to take a little time before going for the big shots in the second T20I against South Africa. He pointed out that the left-handed opener has endured a prolonged lean run since his century against Zimbabwe and might lose his place for the next series if he doesn't score runs in the remaining three T20Is.