Former Indian player Aakash Chopra recently said that the likes of Ishan Kishan and Shikhar Dhawan might have fallen down the pecking order for a place in Team India’s T20 team.
The cricketer-turned-commentator believed that KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma would be the favored openers for the team’s upcoming assignments in the brief format.
He stated that both performers, Ishan Kishan and Shikhar Dhawan, would have to wait for their opportunity in T20Is. Speaking on his Official YouTube channel, Chopra said:
“There’s no place for Ishan Kishan and Shikhar Dhawan in the T20I side. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma will open. You have Virat Kohli at No. 3, followed by Suryakumar Yadav at 4. Hardik Pandya has come back and I’d have him in the playing XI and there’s Rishabh Pant too. Rahul Tripathi can be considered for the No.5 spot.”
Ishan Kishan has had a virtuous season for the Mumbai Indians (MI) so far in this year’s made of money league. He has secured 370 runs from 13 matches and has a batting average of 30.83.
Although, he has struggled to play consistently and has an amazingly ordinary strike rate of 118.21.
On the other hand, Shikhar Dhawan is currently the 6th-highest run-getter this season. The southpaw has been a top player with the bat for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and has gathered 421 runs from 13 games with an impressive average of 38.27.
Number 1️⃣ hai sadda Dhawan 🤩#PunjabKings #SaddaPunjab #IPL2022 #ਸਾਡਾਪੰਜਾਬ #ShikharDhawan @SDhawan25 pic.twitter.com/JhPD3DpJke
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 20, 2022
“Rahul Tripathi can find a place in India’s T20 team” – Aakash Chopra.
Chopra also added that selectors could look at someone like Rahul Tripathi in T20Is as he has played well in TATA IPL 2022. He assumes that the talented right-hander could be a great choice in the absence of Suryakumar Yadav.
Although, he recommended that Rahul Tripathi would not be preferred ahead of Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI. He stated that Iyer was brilliant in the series against Sri Lanka, and the management will continue to back him, mainly in T20Is.
He added:
“With Suryakumar Yadav injured, he can definitely find a place in India’s T20 team. He can be in the squad and then you can give him a chance whenever you can.
“I initially thought that he could be given a chance ahead of Shreyas Iyer. But Iyer played really well against Sri Lanka and I don’t think he’d lose his place after an ordinary IPL season.”
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Rahul Tripathi has affected many with his exploits with the bat this year. The 31-year-old has chipped in with various impactful performances for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s franchise (SRH).
With 393 runs from 13 matches, he is currently the leading run-getter for his side this season.