Aakash Chopra believes Team India’s decision to bat Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul at the top of the order despite the presence of a plethora of other openers is a message to the selectors.
The 16-member Indian squad for the T20I series against New Zealand comprises five openers – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Venkatesh Iyer. While Venkatesh Iyer was included in the playing XI for the first T20I as a batting all-rounder at No. 6, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad were left to warm the benches.
Aakash Chopra: India Persisting With Rohit Sharma And KL Rahul As Openers Is A Message To The Selectors
While reflecting on India’s successful run chase against Kiwis in the bilateral series in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Team India persisting with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as their openers is a hint to the selectors.
He said: “The Indian team was starting a new era and they said that Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will remain their two openers, we are not going to change. It’s a message to the selectors as well that we cannot play if you pick 5-7 openers because we want to move forward with these two openers.”
The former India cricketer added that middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav shone while batting at his customary No. 3 position.
Aakash Chopra elaborated: “Suryakumar Yadav at three. Here also they didn’t play Ishan Kishan at three, they kept the opener in his place. Surya came and shone. He said that you can cover the sun’s light for some time with the clouds but can’t stop forever.”
Suryakumar Yadav smashed 62 runs off just 40 deliveries in a knock studded with six fours and three sixes. He was the dominant partner in his 59-run second-wicket stand with Rohit Sharma.
Aakash Chopra: India Should Persist With Risk Taker Suryakumar Yadav
Aakash Chopra highlighted that middle order Suryakumar Yadav’s risky approach is mandatory in the game’s shortest format.
He explained: “The best thing I like is that he is a risk-taker. The boundary shots he plays, they are all risky but not taking risks in T20s is the biggest risk. You have to keep investing in him if you have to make a new template for T20s.”
The reputed commentator concluded by pointing out that Team India just scraped through to a win.
Aakash Chopra observed: “Pant came and he is not able to hit. He was going at less than run-a-ball. He hit a four of the last ball and went ahead, which is a great thing. Iyer [Shreyas] at No.5, he was not able to bat because the form is not with him at the moment. Venkatesh Iyer did hit a boundary and in the end, India won the match.”
India needed 21 runs off 20 deliveries with seven wickets in hand when Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed. However, they made heavy weather of it before Rishabh Pant hit the winning runs with two deliveries to spare.
On Wednesday, India beat New Zealand by five wickets in the first T20 International to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Chasing a target of 165, Suryakumar Yadav (62 off 40 balls) and skipper Rohit Sharma (48 off 36 balls) scored the bulk of the runs as India reached the target in 19.4 overs.
Earlier, New Zealand scored a competitive 164 for 6, riding on half-centuries from Martin Guptill (70 off 42 balls) and Mark Chapman (63 off 50 balls).
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 164/6 in 20 overs (Martin Guptill 70, Mark Chapman 63; Ravichandran Ashwin 2/23, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/24).
India: 166/5 in 19.4 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 62, Rohit Sharma 48; Trent Boult 2/31).