Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked India’s predicted playing XI for the opening Test match against England. The renowned commentator expects Shubman Gill to bat at the number four position after Virat Kohli’s retirement.
Chopra picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers as the duo had done a decent job on the Australian tour, especially in the first half of the series.
“I am going with Yashasvi Jaiswal, with KL Rahul alongside him. One doesn’t have to think much. Both did well in the BGT as well. This will be Yashasvi’s first England tour. So I really hope that he does well. The last England tour was good for KL Rahul, but you cannot start the tour well and finish poorly,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator backed either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal to bat at the number three position.
“At No. 3, it could be either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal. Maybe Devdutt Padikkal is ahead in that race because he was seen playing recently in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and debuted in Dharamsala before that. Sai Sudharsan is slightly out of the box, but you feel he can play at No. 3 because of the excellent form he is in,” he observed.
Chopra said Shubman Gill will be named as the captain of the team for the England tour.
“This means captain Shubman Gill will go to No. 4. Firstly, I am saying he will become the captain. That’s what the reports are suggesting. I see him going down the order. This is where he will settle down, as a No. 4 batter for India in Test matches,” Chopra noted.
The former Delhi player picked Rishabh Pant at number five and backed Nitish Kumar Reddy at the number six slot.
“Rishabh Pant at No. 5, and I am thinking Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 6. There are many contenders for this slot. Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel will be among the contenders, but I am going towards Nitish Kumar Reddy because he scored a hundred in Melbourne,” he reasoned.
Chopra backed Ravindra Jadeja at number seven but feels the team can also back Washington Sundar.
“I am saying Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7. Since Ashwin is not there anymore, you should go with Ravindra Jadeja. He can play the defensive role at Leeds. The team might play Washington Sundar because there will be a lot of left-handers in the opposition, but I am putting Jadeja at No. 7,” he said (8:30).
The reputed commentator said India can back either Deepak Chahar or Shardul Thakur as the swing bowlers.
“At No. 8, I am thinking either Shardul Thakur or Deepak Chahar. You will get depth in batting as well. Both will like those conditions. Basically they are bowlers who can bat a bit, but you are not compromising on the bowling,” Chopra observed.
Chopra reckons Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will be India’s first-choice pacers, whereas the team can choose between Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Shami depending on the latter’s fitness.
“Then Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Shami, if he is fit and available, or else I will think about Prasidh Krishna. There will be a question on whether you can think about Arshdeep Singh as a left-armer, and what about Akash Deep and Harshit Rana? All of them will be in the mix, but I see an XI like this,” he stated.
The opening Test between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley from June 20 onwards.
