"India have big problems" - Aakash Chopra on selection conundrum for 1st ODI vs Bangladesh
Aakash Chopra feels India have huge selection headaches while choosing their batters for the first ODI against Bangladesh.
The Men in Blue will lock horns with the Tigers in a three-match ODI series, with the first game to be played in Mirpur on Sunday, December 4. Regular skipper Rohit Sharma is back at the helm after being rested for the recently concluded limited-overs series against New Zealand.
While previewing the first ODI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted the questions before the Indian team management, elaborating:
"India have big problems. The problem is that Shikhar Dhawan is available, KL Rahul is the vice-captain, so who will open? (Virat) Kohli will play at No. 3, who will come at No. 4? Will (Rishabh) Pant get a place or not? Sanju (Samson) is not there but will Ishan Kishan get a chance? There are plenty of questions to answer."
Chopra reckons KL Rahul could be a wicketkeeping option besides Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan. The former Indian opener said:
"You see Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan as the two straightforward keepers but KL Rahul is also there. He is the vice-captain but also a wicket-keeping option. The bigger question will be, and this is a multi-million dollar question, who will open?"
Pant scored a century in the series-deciding ODI against England earlier this year. Despite having a dismal tour of New Zealand, he will likely be seen donning the wicketkeeping gloves in the first ODI against Bangladesh.
"If he is in the team, you will play him" - Aakash Chopra on Shikhar Dhawan
Chopra believes Shikhar Dhawan has to be a part of the playing XI if he is in the squad. He stated:
"Shikhar Dhawan has been regularly the captain in Rohit's absence, he has scored runs as well, he bosses the ODI format, although it is true that his strike rate has been 74 or 75 in 2022. So he is slowing down a little is what we have just realized. But if he is in the team, you will play him."
The reputed commentator concluded by picking the top six India are likely to field in Sunday's game, saying:
"You will make him open with Rohit Sharma because neither of them is going to go down the order. I am picking Rohit and Dhawan as the two openers, Kohli at No. 3, Rahul at No. 4, (Shreyas) Iyer at No. 5 and Pant at No. 6."
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India will have bigger selection headaches once the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya are back in the mix. The incumbent batters will have to perform consistently to hold onto their spots in the playing XI.
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