"How will you drop someone who has scored 200?" - Aakash Chopra on why Ishan Kishan should play ahead of Shubman Gill
Aakash Chopra reckons Ishan Kishan is undroppable, and Shubman Gill should not play ahead of the left-hander as Rohit Sharma's opening partner in the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka.
The first game of the three-match ODI series will be played in Guwahati on Tuesday (January 10). Rohit mentioned at the pre-match press conference that the team is looking to play Gill ahead of Kishan.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked why he thinks Ishan Kishan is ahead of Shubman Gill, as the latter has excellent numbers in ODIs, to which he responded:
"What you are saying is absolutely correct. He (Gill) should play ahead of everyone as his numbers are very good, but how will you drop someone who has scored 200? I feel you will not touch Ishan Kishan at this point in time, although the truth is that guys who have scored 300 have also been dropped - ask Karun Nair."
However, the former India opener acknowledged that Gill is a long-term prospect for India in Tests and ODI cricket, elaborating:
"If you ask me, I feel Shubman Gill is the present and future of Indian batting. I think he will be outstanding in ODIs and Tests - opening or close to that in ODIs and No. 3 or No. 4 in Tests."
🏻Captain @ImRo45 was all praise for youngsters @ShubmanGill & @ishankishan51 ahead of the #INDvSL ODI series starting tomorrow 👌🏻👌🏻
@mastercardindia https://t.co/vlZyeGpChP
Kishan has smashed 477 runs at an excellent average of 53.00 in ten ODIs, including a blazing 210-run knock in the last game against Bangladesh. Gill has amassed 687 runs in 15 games at an even better average of 57.25 and had an outstanding 2022, averaging 70.88 in 12 ODIs.
"I will actually go with KS Bharat" - Aakash Chopra on whether Bharat or Ishan Kishan should replace Rishabh Pant in Tests
Chopra was also asked whether Ishan Kishan or Srikar Bharat should replace Rishabh Pant in India's side for the Test series against Australia. He cast his vote for the latter, reasoning:
"I will actually go with KS Bharat. He was part of the Indian team as well. He also did keeping in the second innings against New Zealand in Kanpur. I am going with him. He bats well and has scored a lot of runs in first-class cricket, if you see his numbers from the last five to seven years."
While acknowledging that Kishan is an enticing option, the reputed commentator wants the swashbuckling batter to ply his trade only in white-ball cricket, saying:
"Ishan Kishan is a tempting choice, but it is the same story as Suryakumar Yadav (making him play Tests). You shouldn't force it. His playing style is suited to ODIs and T20Is, so let him play there, why in Test cricket? So play the other guy, what difference does it make?"
Both Kishan and Bharat are yet to make their Test debut. While the former has aggregated 2985 runs at a decent average of 38.76 in 48 first-class games, Bharat has 4627 runs at an almost similar average of 37.61 in 85 matches.