Aakash Chopra picks Team India's likely XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa; leaves out Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh
Aakash Chopra has picked Team India's probable XI for the first T20I against South Africa to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on June 9.
The Indian team were dealt a couple of blows on the eve of the series opener, with the appointed skipper KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav getting ruled out of the series due to injuries. While Rishabh Pant has been named the new captain, Hardik Pandya will be his deputy for the five-match series.
While naming the team in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Rahul's injury implies that Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be opening the batting. He elaborated:
"It is now confirmed that Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad, India's new opening pair, will be seen playing because KL Rahul is not there. An interesting stat about Ishan Kishan is that his strike rate has gone down in the last three years."
The former Indian batter feels the No. 3 batter will be dependent on whether Deepak Hooda or Dinesh Karthik is part of the playing XI. Chopra explained:
"Shreyas Iyer will come at No. 3 or Deepak Hooda will come, that's a question if Deepak Hooda plays. If Deepak Hooda plays, then Dinesh Karthik will probably not be able to play."
Aakash Chopra picked Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant as the other two batters in the top six. He observed:
"Rahul Dravid is the coach and Rishabh Pant is the captain, Deepak Hooda can play. Then Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant and if Hooda doesn't play, then Dinesh Karthik at No. 6."
Venkatesh Iyer, who can open or play in the middle order, is the other batter in the Indian squad. However, he is unlikely to be given a chance in the first game.
"Chahal is there but Kuldeep is not there" - Aakash Chopra picks Team India's likely bowling lineup for the first T20I
Aakash Chopra concluded by picking the five bowlers he would want Team India to include in the playing XI.
"Chahal is there but Kuldeep is not there, so it is not going to be Kulcha. So Axar (Patel) and Chahal, and then the three pacers - I am saying Harshal (Patel), Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and Avesh (Khan). That's what I feel, let's see what the Indian team does. There are not too many options left, that's the sad reality."
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Among the seamers, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh failed to make Chopra's preferred XI. Ravi Bishnoi is the only other spinner in the now 16-member Indian squad.
Aakash Chopra's Team India XI for the 1st T20I: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda/Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan