Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that Yashasvi Jaiswal might not make it to India’s Champions Trophy squad for the time being as the team already occupies his batting slot. Chopra has asked the Indian management to reconsider their selection after Gautam Gambhir left-right combo strategy failed, with the big stakes of the Pakistan clash approaching.
India made an interesting call in its opening ODI of a recent ODI series against England – in the name of injury, as Virat Kohli was not available. Meanwhile, Jaiswal got his debut cap and asked to open alongside Rohit Sharma, while regular opener Shubman Gill was jostled to the No. 3 spot. It was claimed to be part of the preparation for the Champions Trophy. But, this backfired, as Jaiswal scored just 15 runs before the innings rattled to a halt, but it was a popular opportunity for Shreyas Iyer, initially thought to miss the game, to remind selectors and Gautam Gambhir of his value to the ODI set-up.
Now, the order of India’s batting lineup looks stable, according to Chopra’s analysis. Sharma has regained form, Shubman Gill is giving a good account of himself as well, and, as is usual, Virat Kohli remains a key part of the team and has recovered from his recent rut. Shreyas Iyer has created his No. 4 slot for himself, and the No. 5 will likely be reserved either for KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant or Axar Patel, resulting in one of them being left out.
Considering these circumstances, Chopra felt there was no point keeping Jaiswal in the squad as his role as a backup opener may become redundant. In fact, Chopra suggested that India recalled fast bowler Mohammed Siraj as a replacement in case Bumrah’s fitness is in doubt. India might require a bolstering of the pace attack, as the Pakistan showdown looms large for the team; such robustness would be key to their success in the tournament.
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