(PTI Photo)
Aakash Chopra expressed concerns about Team India’s preparedness for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA, citing a lack of clarity in the batting lineup from the team management. In a recent warm-up match against Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma and Sanju Samson opened the batting, leading to speculation about the final combination for the ICC tournament. Virat Kohli, who was rested for the match, is expected to partner with Rohit Sharma as the opening pair in the upcoming World Cup match against Ireland on June 5 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
Aakash Chopra says Rishabh Pant Will Be Sent At No. 3.
Aakash Chopra, in a video on YouTube, proposed that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will probably begin the innings, followed by Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav. He mentioned that Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube would be used as the closing batsmen during the ICC tournament.
“There are chances of both openers being right-handed. They are your two most experienced players – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It seems like Rishabh Pant will be sent at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav will be at No. 4, and then if Surya gets out, Hardik Pandya will come, and if Pant gets out, Shivam Dube will come,” Chopra said.
The ex-India opening batsman raised concerns about the delayed confirmation of the team’s batting lineup. He suggested that it would have been more beneficial to have established clarity sooner regarding the opening partnership between Virat and Rohit.
“It seems like the team composition will be like this. But I ask a different question. My question is – why are we coming to know about this now? Would it not have been ideal to know earlier that Virat and Rohit are going to open?” Chopra added.
Before the IPL 2024, Rohit and Jaiswal were seen as India’s top choices for the opening partnership in the T20 World Cup. However, Jaiswal’s form was erratic while playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2024. On the other hand, Virat Kohli displayed excellent batting skills while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
We Are Playing Almost With The Same XI – Aakash Chopra
The former cricketer who now commentates on matches mentioned that India’s expected batting order is similar to the one from the last tournament. Chopra pointed out that the main group of players has stayed the same, except for Shivam Dube taking the place of KL Rahul.
“When the last World Cup ended, from then till now, to be honest, we are playing almost with the same XI or the batting personnel. Move them a little up and down, leave out KL Rahul and bring Shivam Dube in his place, it’s exactly the same. So we haven’t changed much,” Chopra further added.
Aakash Chopra emphasized that the Indian team lacks clear role assignments, citing senior players’ reduced involvement in T20Is following the 2022 T20 World Cup. According to Chopra, these players prioritize ODI cricket and prioritize their respective IPL franchises over international T20 matches.
