Team India, the reigning T20 world champions, are yet to register a win in the ongoing tour of the United Kingdom.
While the Men in Blue kicked off the tour with a humiliating whitewash against Ireland in a two-T20I series at Belfast, their first T20I of the ongoing five-match series against England ended in a frustrating no-result due to relentless rain at Chester-le-Street.
Ahead of the second T20I in Manchester, former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra picked his India playing XI, backing Sanju Samson to retain his place in the side.
Chopra suggested that since Samson featured on the tour of Ireland and the series opener against England, the Indian team management should give him at least one more chance before handing teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his debut India cap.
"A pattern is developing with Sanju. He remains good at home, but it's very different away. It's been a story of either a century or a duck. Runs haven't been scored in the last few games. He has two centuries in overseas conditions, but if you remove the South Africa numbers, the numbers become very ordinary. However, since you have given him two games in Ireland and played him a match here as well, play him one more game," Chopra said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
"You haven't kept five matches for Vaibhav. The first thought process was whether you can give Vaibhav five consecutive games. That story is done. That ship has sailed. You will not give him five consecutive matches now. So do justice to the others. If you have started down the path of justice, stay on it. Don't make any change. Make Abhishek Sharma open with Sanju. Keep Ishan Kishan at No. 3," he added.
According to Aakash Chopra, India should stick with the same batting order till No. 8. "The captain at No. 4. He has scored runs. So he will remain at No. 4. Tilak Varma, the vice-captain, should be there at No. 5. You will keep Shivam Dube at No. 6, no doubt about that. I will still say Axar Patel at No. 7 and Harshit Rana at No. 8, and then you have to play three bowlers, which includes Arshdeep Singh, and you have started playing more spin now," he stated.
Chopra reckoned the only likely change in the playing XI would be swapping a spin bowler for a fast bowler if the pitch offers extra grass, bounce, or movement.
"So you can do that job according to the pitch. However, I am not expecting a change at all. I am saying they would play as it is. Maybe in the bowling department, if there is more help for fast bowlers on the pitch, you might pick a fast bowler in place of a spinner," he remarked.
Aakash Chopra’s India XI for second T20I: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
