Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked India’s playing XI for the fourth Test match against England. The renowned commentator has included both Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel in his team. Pant suffered a finger injury in the first innings of the Lord’s Test and Jurel was used as a substitute wicket-keeper by India.
Pant is expected to play purely as a batter and thus Jurel can be given the gloves by the team’s think tank. Chopra noted that India will back the same openers – Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul – in the fourth Test.
“There won’t be any question about the two openers. The third Test match was quite middling for Yashasvi Jaiswal, but that will happen. Runs aren’t scored in every match. KL Rahul scored centuries in the first and third matches. So there shouldn’t be any changes there,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator wants the team management to give another opportunity to Karun Nair at one drop.
“There will be a question at No. 3 as to whether Karun Nair should be given one more chance. Karun Nair hasn’t looked completely out of sorts. However, he hasn’t scored enough runs for you to say his selection is certain. I am still tempted to play him another match at No. 3 because he might not get a chance again,” he reasoned.
Chopra wants India to back Pant purely as a batter as he has scored 425 runs in the series.
“Shubman Gill at No. 4. Ravi Shastri said that Rishabh Pant shouldn’t play if he is not keeping. I am thinking only four players have scored runs – KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant. He scored runs even after getting injured. If Rishabh Pant can’t keep, play him as a batter,” Chopra observed.
The former Delhi cricketer backed Dhruv Jurel to bat at number six for the visitors.
“I am thinking Dhruv Jurel at No. 6 because, apart from him, you only have top-order options. You started with Karun at No. 6 and Sai Sudharsan at No. 3, but that’s unlikely to happen. Play Dhruv Jurel at No. 6 because he scored runs for India A against the England Lions,” he elaborated.
The former Indian opener feels Kuldeep Yadav will continue to miss out in the playing XI as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar performed consistently in the third Test.
“Ravindra Jadeja will play for sure. I feel Washington Sundar will also play for sure because he is coming after picking up four wickets. I feel you cannot play an extra spinner here. It is not Oval or Edgbaston. You will have to play fast bowlers here. So I am thinking three fast bowlers,” he said.
Chopra highlighted that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will play for sure and the third seamer could be a toss-up between Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna.
“Bumrah and Siraj will be seen playing for sure. The third pacer could be a toss-up between Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna if Akash Deep is unavailable. Ideally, you should go back to Prasidh Krishna, but he has leaked a lot of runs. So you might see Anshul Kamboj debuting here,” Chopra observed.
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.
