Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that he doesn’t see Sanju Samson in India’s playing XI for the second ODI against the West Indies. However, the second game of the three-match series will take place in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday, July 29. India registered a five-wicket win in the series opener at the same venue and will hope to seal the series before the final game in Tarouba on Tuesday, August 1 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “There might be a question in your mind that can Sanju play. Sanju Samson will not be able to play now. It is because only one match has happened, you didn’t play him in the first match and you didn’t get Ishan Kishan to bat at No. 4 as well. You are thinking about Suryakumar Yadav to bat at No. 6 at the moment. So no matter how much outrage is there, this story is not going to fly at this point in time. It is a slightly unfortunate fact that Sanju Samson will not get a chance.”

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However, Ishan Kishan was chosen ahead of Sanju Samson as the wicketkeeper-batter in the first game and he was slotted to bat at No. 4. However, with the hosts getting bundled out for 114 after being asked to bat first, India opted to open with Kishan, who scored a 46-ball 52 in the run chase. And, Aakash Chopra wants India to bat first if they win the toss even if the conditions are bowler-friendly as well.

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“To challenge yourself, bat first if you win the toss. It might be slightly difficult at the start but how else do you challenge yourself? How will you prepare for the World Cup if you do the easy jobs? After that, go with your normal batting order, in which keep Ishan Kishan at No. 4. Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and then Ishan Kishan at No. 4 because you have kept him there. It is important to play players where you want to play them,” Aakash Chopra concluded.