Virat Kohli should have played at least ODIs or T20Is against West Indies: Aakash Chopra

Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra is unable to fully comprehend Team India‘s decision to rest former captain Virat Kohli throughout the team’s tour of the West Indies. The 33-year-old is not playing well lately, and Chopra believes that some game time prior to the Asia Cup would have been extremely beneficial for him.

The 44-year-old emphasized how crucial it is to stay in the game’s rhythm all the time, which has helped players like Suryakumar Yadav to adapt to the need of the hour. The Indian team has adapted an attacking mode of playing, where the players aim for the big shots from the moment they start playing, and Kohli being out of the game will not help him adapt to it.

“The problem is that you need to remind people of Virat’s numbers. This is because he has played very little and missed more games of late. Even Rohit and Suryakumar won’t score in every game. But since they play continuously, we remember the good knocks that they played. Virat walks into the team no doubt, but he should have played at least the ODIs or T20Is against the West Indies,” Chopra said on Jatin Sapru’s YouTube channel.

Chopra believes that Suryakumar Yadav should be placed back at No. 4 for major competitions like the upcoming Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup. He thinks Yadav is prepared to face the bowlers in the middle overs with a game that is made for him. Chopra is baffled as to why the management changed that and brought him to the opening slot.

“I don’t understand the thinking behind sending him at the top. Batting in the middle order is a bit difficult and he is also in form, so he has an understanding of that role. In T20Is and Tests, I feel positions are very important. Why don’t you send DK or Hardik at the top? Because they have a specified role, right? Then why not the same for Suryakumar Yadav?,” Chopra added.

The squad for the Asia Cup will be more or less the one that will play in the T20 World Cup: Chopra

Additionally, Aakash Chopra is also of the opinion that the team that will be revealed for the Asia Cup will be nearly identical to the one that competes in the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. The 44-year-old desires Team India to function with a stable batting order with clear roles for each player.

“The squad for the Asia Cup will be more or less the one that will play in the T20 World Cup. There might be a wild card entry (for World Cup) like Deepak Chahar or Lord Thakur. But what’s more important is we will get to see who will bat where. We will understand who are the openers, whether DK is your finisher, whether Pant will play, where will KL Rahul play if fit? So to see all this, Asia Cup is the final opportunity,” Chopra concluded.