A 20-member India squad has been announced for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour which will play a three-match ODI series and as many T20Is in July as well. However, former India cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra has opened up on the team selection recently.
He said that the Indian captain, Shikhar Dhawan and the coach, Rahul Dravid will face the headache while selecting playing XI as there are six spinners in the team. While speaking about the squad in a video posted on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out where the team can face a challenge in the selection.
“There are as many as six spinners but only four fast bowlers. Who picks six spinners? It will be a headache for the captain and the coach on whom they should play and when. There is Rahul Chahar, Yuzi Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav and Krishnappa Gowtham. You will not be able to play more than three in any of the matches,” added Aakash Chopra.
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While the team has five new faces, it is somewhat a spin heavy squad. While the main team is in England, others will have a great chance to show their class again and seal their place in the squad for the T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra also highlighted that playing three spinners would not be feasible and believed Krunal Pandya as a certain pick in the playing XI.
He again shared: “Playing three also becomes difficult, quite a few times you play only two and play three fast bowlers instead. Krunal Pandya will play because you don’t have a finisher. After that only two spinners can play.”
While saying that Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav as his preferred options for the spinners in the ODIs, he claimed that in this case Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar and Krishnappa Gowtham will have to sit outside as well.
“In ODIs, you will definitely play Yuzi Chahal. So maximum you will be able to play one more spinner. I would say to play Kuldeep because you will not play him in the T20Is in any case. But then what will you do with Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar and why have you selected Krishnappa Gowtham,” again shared Aakash Chopra.
However, he also questioned about not having finishers in the team. He also asked about the all-rounder Rahul Tewatia. While he had already earned his maiden India call-up in the T20I series against England at home after his stunning show in IPL, he couldn’t get the chance of donning the blue jersey yet.
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“Where is Rahul Tewatia? Because last time when the team was picked, Rahul Tewatia was in the team. He did not play there. There cannot be a greater injustice than dropping someone without playing him. When you select someone in the Indian team, his entire family, clan, and coaches become happy that the player whom they have invested in since childhood has been selected. You did not give him a chance to fail or succeed and you dropped him,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
