Aakash Chopra has picked an Indian T20 World Cup squad based purely on IPL 2022 performances. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ravindra Jadeja are some of the most prominent names who have failed to make the team.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, the former Indian batter pointed out that he has selected the team assuming the forthcoming 2022 T20I World Cup will be played tomorrow and not in October-November. He added that he has not considered the players’ reputations while picking the squad.
Aakash Chopra Picks Hardik Pandya As Skipper Of The Indian Side For T20I World Cup Based On IPL 2022 Performance
In a Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batting unit which wasn’t quite consistent with its performances, KL Rahul was a stand-out performer with 616 runs from 15 innings at a healthy strike rate of 135.38. He made two hundred in the tournament and earned the opener’s spot in the XI.
Aakash Chopra picked KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as his two openers, saying: “The first name I am keeping is KL Rahul. He can play till 15-17 overs, he is a T20 gun batter and scored more than 600 runs this year. I have kept Ishan Kishan along with him. If you see his numbers, you will say it was not that bad a season for Ishan Kishan.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator chose Rahul Tripathi and Suryakumar Yadav to bat at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions in the batting order. He may have played only eight games for a consistently losing Mumbai Indians (MI) side but the quality of performances from Suryakumar Yadav was such that the aggressive right-hander had to be in this XI and lead the middle-order pack at No.3. Yadav averaged 43.28 with a strike rate of 145.67 for his 303 runs.
Aakash Chopra elaborated: “At No. 3, I have kept Rahul Tripathi. He played very well this, strike rate has been very high and given match-winning performances. At No. 4, I have kept SKY. He has not played all the games but he has played at a different level in the matches he played.”
Aakash Chopra picked Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik to play the finishers’ role and also named the former as the skipper of the side. Captaining an IPL side for the first time, not only did Indian allrounder Hardik Pandya lead the Gujarat Titans to a maiden trophy, but he also rejuvenated himself as a robust utility guy.
Taking extra responsibility on the batting front at No.3-4, Hardik Pandya topped the runs chart for Titans with 487 runs at an average of 44.27 with a strike rate of 131.26. He also filled in the fifth/sixth bowler’s capacity, taking 8 wickets with a healthy economy rate of 7.27 to dispel doubts around his bowling fitness. The right-arm seamer reserved his best for the last by delivering an impactful spell of 3 for 17 off his 4 overs in the final.
He explained: “After that, my Player of the Tournament. I have made Hardik Pandya the captain of the team. He can play in the middle and be a finisher as well. After that, I have given a spot to Dinesh Karthik and he is my wicketkeeper as well. He has run at a strike rate of 180-190 and finished a lot of matches.”
Dinesh Karthik revived his career aged 36 with an incredible campaign for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Given the difficult end-overs duties by RCB, Karthik nailed his role to perfection, scoring his 330 runs at an eye-catching SR of 183.33 while averaging 55. The 44-year-old commentator chose Krunal Pandya as the spin-bowling all-rounder ahead of the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
He reasoned: “At No. 7, I have kept Krunal Pandya because he has had a very good season. He has been very economical as a bowler and scored crucial runs as a batter. He can bat up and down the order. You require a left-hander in the middle.”
Krunal Pandya scalped 10 wickets at an excellent economy rate of 6.97 in IPL 2022. However, he did not have a great year with the bat, having scored 183 runs at a slightly below-par average of 20.33.
Aakash Chopra Picked Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, and Arshdeep Singh As Bowlers Based On IPL 2022 Performances
Aakash Chopra picked Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, and Arshdeep Singh as the four frontline bowlers in his playing XI.
He observed: “After that, Yuzi Chahal has to be in my side. Then I have three fast bowlers and the fourth fast bowler is Hardik Pandya – Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh. I am seeing this as the XI.”
On the spin front, one can’t look beyond the ‘Purple Cap’ holder Yuzvendra Chahal, who took a whopping 27 wickets – the most by a spinner in one IPL season – with a healthy economy rate of 7.75. Yuzvendra Chahal was at his very best in IPL 2022, attacking for wickets while pragmatically keeping the ball away from the arc.
Aakash Chopra named Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshal Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah as the five additional players in his 16-member squad.
Aakash Chopra’s T20 World Cup squad based on IPL 2022 performances: KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah