Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra has suggested a couple of changes for Team India in their playing XI for the third and final Test against South Africa. While the regular captain Virat Kohli will return to the team after recovering from back spasms, Mohammed Siraj won’t be a part as he is not match-fit yet.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that the experienced Ishant Sharma should get a game. He elaborated: “Whom should you play among the fast bowlers? If you look towards Ishant Sharma, he has played more than 100 Tests. You play four fast bowlers, his name is not there. Even if you play five, if his name is not there, if he is the sixth bowler then there is a question – when will you play him? That’s a big question.”
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Aakash Chopra again said: “If we see the recent form, it seems that you should go towards Umesh. The team might again go towards seniority and play Ishant Sharma. Personally, I would have preferred Umesh Yadav.”
However, Ishant has failed to pick up a scalp in the last two Tests he has played for Team India. Umesh, on the other hand, picked up six wickets in the last overseas Test he played against England at the Oval as well. Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra wants Team India to strengthen their batting and add Hanuma Vihari before Ravichandran Ashwin.
He added: “I believe you should play Hanuma Vihari. Virat Kohli comes in, I will want to play Hanuma Vihari instead of Ravichandran Ashwin for a simple reason that the amount of bowling you are getting from Ashwin, you can get that from Vihari as well.”
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“Spin is not able to bowl here at all. 200-300 run matches are going on and the fast bowlers have the upper hand in Cape Town as well. Keshav Maharaj from the opposing team bowls just one or two overs, Ashwin has also taken only two or three wickets in the entire series to date. He has batted well but has not taken the wickets,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
