"You are digging a hole for yourselves" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's absence in India's main Asia Cup squad as KL Rahul's backup
Aakash Chopra feels Team India caused problems for themselves by not picking Sanju Samson in their main Asia Cup squad as KL Rahul's backup.
India will face Pakistan in their tournament opener in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. Samson is not part of the 17-member Indian squad and has only been included as a traveling reserve.
On the AakashVani show on JioCinema, Chopra was unsure about the ideal replacement for Rahul, who will miss at least the first two games. He reckons the Men in Blue shot themselves in the foot by not picking Samson in the main squad, explaining:
"I don't know what is the right answer to this. The right answer would have been that if KL Rahul is your middle-order batter, then you should have made Sanju Samson a part of the team."
The former Indian opener added:
"You wouldn't have had to change the other things but when you don't do that, and have one keeper as a middle-order batter and the other as an opener, you are digging a hole for yourselves, and you will fall into it sometime or the other, and it is now time to fall into it."
Chopra pointed out that Samson cannot be fielded in the XI in place of Rahul. He reasoned that an injury replacement cannot be taken for a couple of games.
"You will want to give a chance to at least one of Tilak Varma or Suryakumar Yadav" - Aakash Chopra
![Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma will likely compete for a middle-order berth. [P/C: Twitter]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/09/af5f6-16935456964909-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra reckons Rohit Sharma and Co. might want to try either Tilak Varma or Suryakumar Yadav in the middle order. He observed:
"You have also picked Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav in the team. You have no idea about Shreyas Iyer's form and you have no idea about the form in which KL Rahul will come. So you will want to give a chance to at least one of Tilak Varma or Suryakumar Yadav."
The reputed commentator added that the Pakistan clash might be the best opportunity for either of them to be tested out. He stated:
"Tilak Varma has not played a single ODI thus far. Suryakumar Yadav has played a few ODIs but hasn't done anything in them. If you see from that perspective, this is your chance. Pakistan is a high-octane game, you will want to win, but whatever you have to try, you have to do it here."
Chopra pointed out that neither Tilak nor Suryakumar will be tested if Ishan Kishan is made to bat at No. 5, with the wicketkeeper-batter also more suited to play as an opener. However, he added that it would be difficult to accommodate Shubman Gill in the XI if Kishan bats at the top of the order as he wouldn't want Virat Kohli to play at No. 4.