Aakash Chopra names India’s playing XI for first ODI against South Africa, leaves out Suryakumar Yadav

Team India will fight for redemption as they take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series. The opening encounter takes place at the Boland Park in Paarl on January 19 (Wednesday). Having lost the preceding Test series 1-2, the visiting team would fight to settle the scores but their first task would be selecting a potent playing XI.

With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya being unavailable, there are some voids left in the line-up. Hence, the team management needs to do some brainstorming to finalize the combination. Speaking on this regard, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has picked his preferred Indian XI for the opening match. The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons India would be in a dilemma while deciding on the number of specialist batters.

There will be problem in selecting the batting order: Aakash Chopra

“There is a problem in the batting order, whether you should play five or six batters. This problem is not going to go. Rahul said in the press conference that they want to play Venkatesh Iyer as the sixth bowler, it means he will have to bat at No. 6 as well,” Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.

Considering Venkatesh will play, Chopra left out Suryakumar Yadav from the line-up. “If he (Venkatesh) bats at No. 6, some batter will have to miss out. Only one can play between Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, I think it will be Shreyas Iyer at No. 4, Pant at No. 5 and Venkatesh Iyer at No. 6,” he added.

As far as the bowling line-up is concerned, Chopra wants India to field both Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the XI. Among fast bowlers, he went with Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Jasprit Bumrah.

“You want to play five bowlers. I feel you should play both spinners, play both Ashwin and Chahal, then you will get a varied attack. If you play four fast bowlers with Venkatesh Iyer, the attack will become too one-dimensional,” he reasoned.

Aakash Chopra’s India’s XI for the 1st ODI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal