"It will hurt me a lot" - Aakash Chopra on Abhishek Sharma potentially making way for Yashasvi Jaiswal in 3rd IND vs ZIM T20I
Aakash Chopra expects India to make three changes to their playing XI for the third T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday, July 10. He reckons Abhishek Sharma might have to make way for Yashasvi Jaiswal, which might not be fair to the second T20I's centurion.
Abhishek was dismissed for a duck in the Men in Blue's 13-run loss in the first T20I against the Chevrons. However, the left-handed opener smoked 100 runs off 47 deliveries in the visitors' 100-run win in the second game.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that India might take the painful call of bringing in Jaiswal at Abhishek's expense.
"Yashasvi has come. So the big question will be whether Abhishek Sharma should be left out. It will hurt me a lot. However, there are precedents. If you see whether it has happened previously, Karun Nair scored a triple hundred and was dropped. Manoj Tiwary scored a hundred and was dropped," he said (6:55).
While acknowledging that it might not be the right decision, the former India opener added that he won't be surprised if such a call is taken.
"There are a lot of people who were dropped after scoring a century in the last match because they were filling someone else's place. You might see Abhishek Sharma watching the match from outside this evening. It won't be a great thing because you are seeing him as India's future T20 star. It won't be right to drop him but I won't be surprised if it happens," Chopra observed.
India included Sai Sudharsan as an additional batter in the second T20I. Jaiswal might replace the Tamil Nadu batter in the XI if the Men in Blue persist with their batting-heavy approach.
"Dhruv Jurel will go out and Sanju Samson will come into the team" - Aakash Chopra
![Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Abhishek Sharma made their T20I debuts in the first game against Zimbabwe. [P/C: BCCI/X]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/09822-17205832110552-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra reckons Sanju Samson will replace Dhruv Jurel as the wicketkeeper-batter in the third T20I.
"I feel the second change will be straightforward. There won't be much problem with that. Dhruv Jurel will go out and Sanju Samson will come into the team. Although Dhruv Jurel is not batting at Sanju's number, Sanju was part of the World Cup. He didn't get a chance to play there but you give him priority when he is part of the team," he said in the same video (7:50).
The cricketer-turned-commentator also expects Shivam Dube to come into the XI at Riyan Parag's expense.
"Shivam Dube will play for sure. When Shivam Dube comes, Riyan Parag might have to go out because Rinku Singh shouldn't be touched. He hit fours and sixes in the last match and was part of the Indian team's touring party for the World Cup as well. So if someone goes out, it will be Riyan Parag," Chopra reasoned.
Chopra opined that Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue to bat at No. 3. He pointed out that the Maharashtra batter has already sacrificed the opening position and captained India in last year's Asian Games.