"None of them will get a chance" - Aakash Chopra on the Indian batting lineup for the 3rd ODI vs South Africa
Aakash Chopra feels the trio of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav will have to wait for their turn and will not get a chance in the third ODI against South Africa.
Team India have already lost the three-match ODI series against the Proteas after reversals in the first two games. The team management might think of giving a game to some of the players waiting in the wings in such a scenario.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that Gaikwad, Kishan and Yadav should continue to remain on the sidelines. He observed:
"Will you want to change a batter? Will Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav get a chance? I am saying none of them will get a chance and they should probably not get it as well."
The cricketer-turned-commentator wants Team India to stick with the same batting lineup as the first two ODIs. Aakash Chopra said:
"I am still seeing Shikhar Dhawan opening along with KL Rahul, Virat Kohli at No. 3, Rishabh Pant at No. 4, Shreyas Iyer at No.5, and Iyer again at No.6. That will be my batting lineup."
Neither Shreyas Iyer nor Venkatesh Iyer have covered themselves in glory in the first two matches of the series. Either or both of them could miss out if the think tank opts to give the batters sitting on the bench a chance.
"Will that be justice with Shreyas Iyer?" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra wants Team India to persist with Shreyas Iyer in the middle order. He reasoned:
"I am saying there should not be any change in the batting because let us say you give a chance to Ruturaj to open, then Rahul will have to come down the order and Shreyas Iyer will have to go out. Will that be justice with Shreyas Iyer because you have given him two chances and before this tour, it was almost certain that you have got a No. 4 player."
Markram has a average of 28 in ODIs, his team backs him because of his talent and future of the country. Shreyas Iyer has an ODI average of 40+ but fails in few innings but people in his country want him to be replaced by a 31 year-old !
The 44-year-old also does not want Ishan Kishan to play instead of Rishabh Pant. Aakash Chopra explained:
"Otherwise, you will drop Venkatesh Iyer. Then you will send Shreyas Iyer at No.6. Will that be the right thing to do? So there is no scope of change there. You might say Ishan Kishan can play instead of Pant. But the truth is that Pant has just started growing in ODI cricket, he has not yet fully understood the DNA."
Aakash Chopra feels Team India should not rest Shikhar Dhawan or Virat Kohli. He reasoned that while the former plays only one format, the former skipper needs to spend time in the middle to regain his form.