Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked India’s playing XI for the second Test match against South Africa. Chopra has suggested two changes in the final XI, bringing in Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy into the side.
Indian captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the second game due to a neck spasm, which he suffered on the second day of the series opener.
The hosts had six left-handers in their playing XI in the opening Test and Chopra reckons India must sort it out. South Africa’s off-spinner Simon Harmer also scalped eight wickets in the match and he can once again challenge the left-handers’ outside edge.
“What can be the XI? A little left-hand, right-hand balance needs to be created because there used to be an era when you used to search for an odd left-hander. Now it’s full of left-handers. If you bring another left-hander for Shubman Gill and play with the same team, you will have seven left-handers. Simon Harmer is bowling well and will become Muttiah Muralitharan,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator backed Sai Sudharsan to return to the number three position in the second Test.
“My XI would be KL Rahul with Yashasvi Jaiswal as the two openers. I will bring Sai Sudharsan back at No. 3 because he did well in Delhi (against the West Indies). I know he is a left-hander, but I can’t help it. Washington Sundar was also a left-hander,” he observed.
The former Delhi cricketer backed Dhruv Jurel to bat at number four, followed by Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“I will play Dhruv Jurel at No. 4. I will put a right-hander in the middle. After that, Rishabh Pant, the captain. Then I will play Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 6 purely as a batter. Till now, we don’t know whether he is playing as a batter or a bowler, but I am looking at him as a pure batter. He has the aggressive game against spin as well,” Chopra elaborated.
Chopra said India must back the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.
“Jaddu at No. 7, Washi at No. 8, and Kuldeep Yadav at No. 9. I know three left-handers have come together, but what can I do here? Even if I play Axar Patel, he is also a left-hander. Three left-handers are fine from Nos. 7 to 9, but before that, I have at least kept three right-handers with three left-handers,” he said.
The former KKR batter said Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will be India’s two main fast bowlers.
“Then I will play my XI with Siraj and Bumrah. Nitish Kumar Reddy is not playing as an all-rounder, but as a batter. Devdutt Padikkal could have also come, but how many left-handers?” Chopra observed.
India and South Africa will take on each other in the second Test at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, from Saturday onwards.
