Now, I Don't Think Ruturaj Gaikwad Will Get Any Chances, Because There Is No IPL Before The World Cup – Aakash Chopra

The cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has opined that the star opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad will not get any more chances in the Indian T20I team before the end of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 because there is no Indian Premier League (IPL) scheduled to take place before the mega ICC event.

Chopra feels that the performances of the Indian Premier League (IPL) are considered for selection whenever the tournament takes place before a major ICC event and the players who do well in the IPL get fast-tracked into the Indian team.

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In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra mentioned that the players like Varun Chakravarthy and Shardul Thakur were picked for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 after their good performances in the second half of the Indian Premier League 2021. He elaborated:

“Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t get many chances, and in the few that he got, he didn’t trouble anyone as such. Now I don’t think he will get any chances, because there is no IPL before the World Cup. When that happens, then you make a mess by bringing players like Varun Chakravarthy, Shardul Thakur thinking that they should be included since they did well in the IPL.”

Rishabh Pant hasn’t had much impact in the middle-order in T20Is – Aakash Chopra

Former India opener Chopra further talked about the position of young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant in the Indian T20I team. He mentioned that Pant was given the opportunity to open the innings in the two T20Is against England where he failed to score any big runs for the side.

Chopra added that although India didn’t open with Pant in the first T20I against West Indies, there is a possibility that moving forward the wicketkeeper-batsman will be provided with the opening spot as he hasn’t had much impact while batting in the middle-order. He asserted:

“When you talk about Rishabh Pant as opener, you should compare him with Ishan Kishan, because both are explosive left-handers. But Pant has scored just 27 runs in two games and these are not enough numbers to have a debate about. He was made to open in England but then after his hundred in Manchester, Pant was again brought down in the middle order.

“Even in the first T20I against West Indies, you had a chance to play Pant at the top and let Suryakumar Yadav bat in the middle. But you opened with Suryakumar Yadav. So will Pant open?

“I won’t rule it out completely because you have invested in him and rightfully so. It will also give a left-right combination with explosive batter at the top and as it is, he hasn’t had much impact in the middle-order in T20Is.”

The 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has played 51 T20Is for India National Cricket Team and he has scored 782 runs at an average of 22.34 and a poor strike rate of 124.32.

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