"It is a very important match for Ishan Kishan" - Aakash Chopra picks his Indian XI for the 3rd T20I vs West Indies
Aakash Chopra has picked his preferred Indian XI for the third and final T20I against the West Indies.
With Rishabh Pant rested for the match, Ishan Kishan will be playing as a wicketkeeper-batter. The Indian team will also have a new No. 3 batter, with Virat Kohli getting a break as well.
While picking Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma as his two openers, Aakash Chopra emphasized that the match is crucial for the former. He said the following in a video shared on his YouTube channel:
"It is a very important match for Ishan Kishan because we see Ruturaj playing but I don't see Ruturaj opening the batting. I feel Ruturaj will play at No.3, Ishan Kishan will open alongside Rohit Sharma. So you are getting a chance but Sanju Samson will come in the next series. If Ishan Kishan scores runs here then fine, else he might have to make way by the time the next series comes."
The cricketer-turned-commentator picked Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer as the other batters in his lineup. He elaborated:
"I feel Ruturaj will play well, he will score runs today. After that, at No.4 I feel you will send Shreyas Iyer instead of Suryakumar Yadav. At No.5, you will send Surya and Venkatesh at No.6. That's the batting combination I think is going to happen."
While Suryakumar Yadav stood out in the first T20I, Venkatesh Iyer has given a decent account of himself in both matches thus far. The pressure will be on Shreyas Iyer to showcase his credentials in the shortest format of the game.
"I don't think you will be able to see Kuldeep and Chahal together" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra reckons Team India will stick to the same bowling as the first two matches. He observed:
"After that - Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Bishnoi, Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. This is the XI I am seeing. I don't think you will be able to see Kulcha [Kuldeep and Chahal] together."
The 44-year-old concluded by pointing out that Deepak Chahar would be slightly under the cosh. He reasoned:
"I feel there will be slight pressure on Deepak Chahar because when we are doing man-to-man marking between Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the scales are tilted towards Bhuvneshwar at the moment. This was that litmus test where both of them are playing together, there is no conjecture."
Bhuvi even on decline is a better bowler than Deepak Chahar at the peak of his career.
If Team management doesn't figure out a way to use Chahar's batting then he doesn't add much value.
Also,you can't play both Bhuvi and Chahar together in the XI,not against this team anyway.
Aakash Chopra's Indian XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal