I feel Axar Patel can be utilized in a better way: Aakash Chopra

After back-to-back losses in the T20I series against the West Indies, India will have a last chance to keep the series alive as the two teams meet in the third match in Guyana tonight. Will India bring in opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, to spark a revival in the team’s fortunes? 

JioCinema expert Aakash Chopra said he would avoid tinkering with the opening partnership: “See, the question is big and is tempting also because if Ishan (Kishan) plays, he plays as the wicketkeeper-batter and is a left-hander. Also, you have Yashasvi who is a left-hander and can open, and you also have Sanju (Samson) as a keeper, who is available for selection.

There is a thought, but I will still say that if you have given someone a chance to play, you should give them three matches at least so that you can arrive at a decision. I feel for one more match, I will not change the opening pair of Ishan and Shubman Gill.”

The slow pitches in the Caribbean have not helped India’s cause, and Chopra feels that India still ought to have scored at a faster clip in the powerplay overs. “In the first six overs, it’s important to capitalize. But it is only possible if you have wickets in hand. It’s not like India lose a wicket early on. They are playing the first two overs cautiously,” explained Chopra. 

“But if you divide the powerplay into two halves, in the second half of the powerplay you need to accelerate. If you get 10 runs per over, you suddenly find yourself at 50/1. But the current scenario seems different where you lose two wickets for 36-37 runs. So, we are neither here nor there, so we do have problems. Now, that Shubham and Ishan have played two matches they need to show more intent. But they also need to keep in mind which bowler to target,” he added. 

Chopra also urged the batting unit to take more responsibility mainly because there’s a slight weakness at the No. 8 position. “(Skipper) Hardik Pandya will also have a responsibility to make runs himself and stay on the crease till the very end so that you have enough runs on the board which can be defended. And while I speak of bowling,

I am astonished as Axar (Patel) isn’t being utilised, because if you are playing a left-arm spinner and think you won’t bowl him against a lefty, you will get (Kyle) Mayers in the beginning, then Nicholas Pooran and then (Shimron) Hetmyer and then Akeal Hossein, so you can’t make him play the match. I feel Axar can be utilized in a better way.”