Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has picked his Indian team playing XI for the first T20I against Ireland. Young Vaibhav Suryavanshi couldn’t find a place in his chosen side. India will take on Ireland in two T20Is, with the first game to be played in Belfast on Friday, June 26. Suryavanshi is potentially competing with the opener Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan for a spot in the top three as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “There is a big question whether the kid (Suryavanshi) would be able to become a part of the XI. There are two options. Either do justice or give a chance, because if you do justice, you won’t be able to give a chance, and if you give a chance, you won’t be able to do justice. You have to play three out of four players in the top three. All four will not be able to play.”

“If you look at it from the justice perspective, the team will play for the first time after the World Cup. Yes, I know Suryakumar Yadav is not there here, you have taken one tough call, but you won’t be able to do an injustice. You should play whoever has been kept in the team. Yes, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has set the stage on fire and has shaken world cricket, but you can’t give him the opportunity if you think about justice,” he elaborated.

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“If you go for chance, you will have to drop one of the three. You can also make a rotational policy there, but I don’t subscribe to that opinion. Is it so necessary so early? So Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson will be part of my team. I will go with justice. I want to stay with the ones who won us the World Cup,” Chopra observed. “I will still keep Ishan Kishan at No. 3. Shreyas Iyer at No. 4 for sure. He is the new captain. I will keep Tilak Varma at No. 5. He is the vice-captain of this team now. Then Shivam Dube at No. 6, which means he will have to bowl a little as well,” he stated.

In the same video, Aakash Chopra picked Axar Patel at No. 7 as the only spin-bowling all-rounder and Harshit Rana at No. 8 for his ability to contribute with the bat as well.

“I have kept Axar Patel at No. 7. I haven’t kept Washington Sundar at No. 7. I am going with only one finger spinner. I am keeping Harshit Rana at No. 8 because he gives me batting as well,” he said. “Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. At No. 11, I still want to play a proper spinner. So I want to see Ravi Bishnoi playing in this team because Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav aren’t there,” Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra’s India playing 11 for IRE vs IND 2026 1st T20I:

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Ravi Bishnoi