"I don't have an answer" - Aakash Chopra on choosing Shubman Gill's opening partner for 1st IND vs SA T20I
Aakash Chopra believes it is difficult to choose between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as Shubman Gill's opening partner for the first T20I between India and South Africa.
The two sides will lock horns in a three-match T20I series, with the first game to be played in Durban on Sunday. Jaiswal and Gaikwad batted at the top of the order in the recent T20I series against Australia. However, Gill, who was rested against the Aussies, is back in the mix for the T20Is against the Proteas and will compete with them for the openers' positions.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Gill is a certainty as one of the openers. However, he was split between Jaiswal and Gaikwad as his opening partner, explaining (3:15):
"Shubman Gill is back, so I am assuming he will play. He should play the first match itself. If he plays, who will open with him? Both Ruturaj and Yashasvi are standing together and saying that they did well in the last series."
The former India opener added:
"Ruturaj scored a century as well, was the highest run-scorer, so he will say he should be played. However, Yashasvi is a left-hander, very attractive and aggressive, he will say he should be played. So that's the first fight that who should be played. Difficult question, I don't have an answer."
Chopra stated that he is slightly tilted towards Jaiswal because he provides a left-handed option. However, he added that leaving Gaikwad out would be a travesty.
"It seems like there is no chance at all of Ishan Kishan playing" - Aakash Chopra
![Ishan Kishan is at his best at the top of the order. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/12/33fd8-17021779776322-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra further opined that Ishan Kishan is unlikely to get a game. He reasoned (3:50):
"Then when I go slightly down the order, it seems like there is no chance at all of Ishan Kishan playing because Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma will play here. So Ishan Kishan has gone but he won't play."
Chopra expressed hope of India fielding the same playing XI throughout the three-match series and questioned the selection of a massive squad. He said:
"I will keep a close eye on India's selection because whoever you play in the first game, this is your duty that you play them all the matches because it is a three-match series only. So the selection of 17 players may just backfire but that's the way it is."
Apart from the aforementioned players, Tilak Varma is another batter in India's 17-member squad. The Hyderabad youngster, who had to make way for Shreyas Iyer in the final two T20Is against Australia, might not get to play in the shortest format against the Proteas.