Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Ishan Kishan’s spot in India’s World Cup squad, suggesting that it might be uncertain due to team balance considerations. Chopra pointed out the dilemma the selection committee might face while finalizing India’s World Cup squad, indicating that Kishan’s selection might not solely depend on his performances, but rather on the team’s requirements.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra stated, “I think Ishan’s place is not dependent on his performances. It’s dependent on what the balance of the team is.”
India’s regular wicketkeepers, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, have been sidelined due to injuries, leading to opportunities for players like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan to keep wickets. However, the challenge arises from the fact that these batters play different positions, with Sanju batting in the middle order and Kishan opening the innings, which could affect his selection.
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Aakash Chopra explained, “If you’re picking a second WK, he must be batting at the same place as your first-choice keeper. If he bats at a different position, it’s radically different.” Kishan has delivered impressive performances for India in ODIs, scoring 510 runs in the 13 innings he has played, mostly batting at the top order. Notably, he even achieved a remarkable double century, scoring 210 against Bangladesh last year, a feat accomplished by only a few other batters.
However, the opening slot in the Indian Team is now occupied by Shubman Gill, who has showcased great results, making it highly likely that he will retain the opening spot for India. This situation poses a conundrum for the selectors as Aakash believes that a second-choice keeper should ideally bat in the same position as the first-choice keeper.
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Moreover, India needs to strengthen its middle order, which has been affected by injuries to key players and a lack of consistent performances from others. With the World Cup fast approaching, Rohit Sharma and the Indian think tank would be eager to address this puzzle swiftly to give themselves the best chance of winning the prestigious tournament.
