Aakash Chopra believed that both batsmen Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav could make it to T20I team against England. He reasoned that the incumbent batsmen like Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson have not grabbed the opportunity with both hands and that there could be some injury concerns as well.
He made this observation while responding to queries made by fans on various cricketing matters in a video shared on his Facebook page.
Aakash Chopra: Sanju Samson Could Not Make Use Of Chances While Shreyas Iyer Had A Slightly Disappointing Tour
Aakash Chopra was asked whether Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are too far from securing a spot in the Indian T20I team, given the recent poor performances from Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson.
Shreyas Iyer scored 59 runs in 3 ODIs averaging 19.67 and scored only 12 runs from 2 T20I matches whereas Sanju Samson scored 48 runs averaging 16 in 3 T20I games.
The renowned commentator responded that it might not be long before the Mumbai Indians duo gets an India call-up, with both Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson failing to grab their chances in the series against Australia.
“Let’s be honest, they are not that far. Because Samson got a chance but he could not make use of that. Shreyas Iyer is also going 50-50, his Australian tour has not been that great, in fact I will call it a slightly disappointing tour.”
He observed that Manish Pandey has also not sealed a permanent spot in the Indian T20I team.
“So if we see from that point of view and Manish Pandey’s place is also not fully cemented.”
Manish Pandey scored 2 in the only T20I he played before suffering an elbow niggle as Shreyas Iyer replaced him in 2nd T20I, but the move didn’t pay rich dividends as he failed in 3rd T20I.
Aakash Chopra: Suryakumar Yadav And Ishan Kishan Might Play Against England
Suryakumar Yadav scored 480 runs in 16 games averaging 40 while also notching up 424 runs and 512 runs in previous two editions. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, scored 516 runs averaging 57.33 in 14 games and hit maximum sixes-30 in IPL 2020.
Aakash Chopra reckons that Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan could make their India debuts in the T20I series at home against England. He reasoned that the injury concerns in the Indian squad of late might bring them into consideration. England would play India in 4 Tests, 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs at Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune in February-March 2021.
“So both Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan are knocking the doors and considering the number of our players that are getting injured, I feel they might even get to play against England.”
Aakash Chopra concluded by observing that Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan would surely make it to the Indian team if they have an outstanding IPL 2021 after a successful IPL 2020
“I don’t think both of them are too far but if they have another good IPL, which they had in IPL 2020 and if even the 2021 edition goes good, then you will definitely see them play international cricket.”
Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have put forth their cases for a national call-up in the senior side on the brink of some match-winning performances in recently concluded IPL 2020. There have been constant calls by critics who feel they should have been in the team following Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson’s inconsistency with the bat in hand.