The Indian cricket team has just won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 as well as the T20I series in India’s tour of Zimbabwe. However, the men in blue are not done yet, as they are moving towards India’s tour of Sri Lanka. The tour will have a 3-match T20I series as well as an ODI series with the same number of matches. Cricket commentator Aakash Chopra shares his take on Shubman Gill and players of the India squad for Sri Lanka tour.
“Gill is the heir” Aakash Chopra shares his views as Shubman Gill becomes Vice captain
In India’s tour of Sri Lanka, Suryakumar Yadav will captain the T20Is. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma will lead the ODIs, with Shubman Gill named as vice-captain for both formats. In a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra observed that while Rohit remains the ODI skipper, Gill has been promoted to vice-captain over the more experienced KL Rahul.
“If we talk about the ODI squad, Rohit is going. Shubman Gill is the vice-captain. Interestingly enough Shubman Gill has been made the vice-captain of both teams. KL Rahul could probably have been made the vice-captain but he is not there, Shubman Gill is there. So it seems like Gill is the heir apparent,” he said.
Aakash Chopra talks about Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya
The former India opener highlighted that Shivam Dube‘s selection for both formats suggests he is anticipated to take on a more significant role, particularly in the absence of Hardik Pandya in the ODIs.
“Sanju Samson‘s name is not there here. Shreyas Iyer – he had a very good World Cup, he is there in the team. Shivam Dube is in both teams, both ODIs and T20Is. It means you are seeing a bigger role for him because Hardik Pandya‘s name is not there in ODIs,” Chopra observed.
“Although ODIs will be played later, Hardik Pandya not being there shows and gives a hint of how he probably sees himself in the ODIs, how much he wants to play the longer format. Remember, he got injured in the last World Cup and didn’t play anything for six months after that. So you never know how his career shapes up,” he elaborated.
Why Aakash Chopra thinks Washington Sundar is a “good selection”
“Washington Sundar has come in both teams. I think it’s a very good selection. Washi’s name should be there in Tests as well, he is that kind of a player. The Hyderabad franchise and the Indian cricket team haven’t used him that well but he is good. He did well in Zimbabwe recently. I like this boy a lot,” he said in the same video
“Harshit Rana is an interesting one” says Aakash
Rana was included in the Indian squad for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe but did not get to play. For the ODIs against Sri Lanka, he was selected over Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Tushar Deshpande, who played against the Chevrons.
“Harshit Rana is an interesting one. I expected him to come earlier, that he would be there on the Zimbabwe tour as well. He wasn’t there but he is there here. He went for two matches but didn’t play. He is now a part of the ODI squad here. There is no doubt that Bumrah has been rested and Mohammed Shami is still unavailable,” Chopra elaborated.
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