"Rinku Singh doesn't make himself unavailable because he's in the T20 team.."- Aakash Chopra takes a brutal dig

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra discussed the possibility of Rinku Singh replacing Virat Kohli for the first two Tests against England. Aakash Chopra emphasized Rinku Singh’s impressive first-class performance, making him a tempting choice for the team.

On Monday, January 22, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Virat Kohli will miss the first two Tests of the highly anticipated series due to personal reasons. The board mentioned that the selectors will announce Kohli’s replacement soon.

What About Rinku Singh? – Aakash Chopra

In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra suggested Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal as potential replacements for Virat Kohli. He also raised the possibility of Rinku Singh being a strong contender for Kohli’s replacement.

“What about Rinku Singh? He was kept with the team in South Africa. He is not a one-trick pony. It’s not that he is just a white-ball player. It’s not that he is just a T20 player. Check his first-class numbers and he is going back and playing first-class cricket whenever he gets a chance,” Chopra said.

“It’s not that he is cutting corners. He doesn’t make himself unavailable because he is in the T20 team and who is going to play him Test matches. He has an average of over 50 and has been playing for many years. So why not Rinku Singh? Very tempting option,” he added.

Rinku Singh has been named in the India A squad for the second unofficial Test against the England Lions, set to commence on January 24 in Ahmedabad. Rinku recently participated in the Ranji Trophy match between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which ended in a draw.

The 26-year-old batter, known for his explosive white-ball performances, has an equally impressive first-class record. The left-handed batter has accumulated 3109 runs at an impressive average of 57.57 in 44 first-class games, featuring seven centuries and 20 fifties.

Cheteshwar Pujara Is Your Sincere Cricketer – Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra suggested that Cheteshwar Pujara could make it into the squad, highlighting his recent double century in the Ranji Trophy. However, he questioned whether Indian selectors are considering Pujara as an option, citing a potential shift in the team’s direction.

“Cheteshwar Pujara – only four Indians have scored more than 20000 first-class runs. He scored a double century recently. Form is with him and he has a proven Test record. He works hard by playing county cricket as well. He is your sincere cricketer. In fact, I say he is Indian cricket’s monk,” Chopra further stated.

“So you can pick him. However, I feel India are not looking in that direction. They have already started looking in a different direction. Cheteshwar Pujara is a legit option but are the Indian selectors looking at him as an option at all? That’s the question we need to ask and wonder,” he concluded.

Cheteshwar Pujara has scored 7,195 runs in 103 Test matches at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 fifties. Among active cricketers, Pujara is the second-leading run scorer in Tests for India, behind Virat Kohli (8,848). He also has a remarkable first-class record, amassing 20,013 runs at an average of 51.98 in 260 games.

Also read: Shreyas Iyer To Be Dropped From Playing XI Against England? – Aakash Chopra Makes Shocking Revelation