IND v AUS 2020: Aakash Chopra suggests a couple of changes Team India should make for the 3rd ODI
Former opener Aakash Chopra has suggested that Team India should play T Natarajan and Kuldeep Yadav in place of Navdeep Saini and Yuzvendra Chahal in the final ODI against Australia to be played on December 2.
He made this observation while previewing the third ODI between the two teams in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
Aakash Chopra started by hoping that India do not make any change to their batting lineup.
"I will not make any changes to the Indian batting although the team might drop Mayank Agarwal now. If you do it now, what is the use? I don't think that is right."
The reputed commentator suggested that India should stick with Mayank Agarwal as the opener with KL Rahul continuing to bat lower down the order.
"They should still play Mayank Agarwal and play KL Rahul at No.5. They should not think about too many changes in their batting nor is there a scope for that."
The 43-year-old reasoned that getting KL Rahul to open and including Manish Pandey in the middle order just for the last match would be slightly unfair on both the latter and Mayank Agarwal. However, he observed that Team India is likely to take that route.
"Why I am saying that is because if you have opened with Mayank in two matches, you will make Rahul open for one match and will get Manish Pandey in the middle. I think that can happen but to be fair, that is what is going to happen, it is a possibility."
Aakash Chopra gave the examples of Adam Gilchrist and Kumar Sangakkara, who batted in the top order apart from donning the gloves, to the critics who believe KL Rahul cannot do the same for India.
"A lot of people are saying that how will Rahul open when is keeping wickets. You should ask Adam Gilchrist, he used to keep and open or Kumar Sangakkara who also used to keep and open or bat at No.3."
He added that Rohit Sharma's absence in the series has made it an exceptional scenario where KL Rahul could have been asked to open apart from shouldering the wicketkeeping duties as well.
"There have been a lot of players like that and when there are extraordinary circumstances you have to do like that. So when Rohit is not there, you can make Rahul open."
Aakash Chopra suggests changes in the bowling attack for Team India
Talking about the bowling department, Aakash Chopra wants T Natarajan and Kuldeep Yadav to replace Navdeep Saini and Yuzvendra Chahal in India's playing XI for the final ODI.
"In the bowling, you can surely play T Natarajan in place of Navdeep Saini and you can try to play Kuldeep Yadav instead of Chahal. That's about it."
The former India opener signed off by stating that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami should continue to play as long as they do not have any fitness issues.
"If Bumrah and Shami are both fit and do not have any niggle, they are absolutely fine to play, please play them and don't change anything else."
With the series already decided, Team India would surely look to make some changes in their playing XI and look to give opportunities to the players on the bench.
With the three-match T20I and the all-important Test series coming up, it is probably an opportune time to rest either of Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Shami, and give chances to T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur.