Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former Indian opener-turned opener Aakash Chopra has cast his vote in favor of young swashbuckler Prithvi Shaw as far as opening the innings with Shikhar Dhawan in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka is concerned.

Apart from Prithvi Shaw, Team India has two other opening options to pick from in the form of uncapped Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, but given the form that Shaw has displayed this year, Chopra believed that the 21-year-old is the ideal choice.

After having endured a horror season last year that saw him lose his place in the Indian Test team and his IPL franchise, Prithvi Shaw has been on a rampage this year. He broke all sorts of records in the 2021 Vijay Hazare 50-over tournament as he smashed a scarcely believable 827 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 138.29 with 4 tons and backed it up with brilliant performances for DC in IPL 2020.

“Prithvi Shaw, 2021 is actually his year. Because 2020 was slightly topsy-turvy, he played Tests and was dropped as well. He was dropped in the IPL also. But since the start of 2021, he started hitting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has not stopped after that.” said Aakash Chopra on his official Youtube channel.

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“He had an amazing IPL as well. In T20s, I feel Prithvi Shaw will anyway clinch the deal but who in ODIs? I am thinking Prithvi Shaw. I feel he should be given an opportunity with Shikhar Dhawan, left-right batting combination.” he added.

 

‘Prithvi Shaw gives you an option which is so tempting’- Aakash Chopra

Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw (Image Credit: Twitter)

Given the destructive nature with which Prithvi Shaw bats, Aakash Chopra started that having such a ruthless batter at the top of the order, is a mouth-watering option for any team to have.

“Prithvi Shaw gives you an option which is so tempting, it is mouth-watering. A player who is disruptive, who can come and be destructive, if you give chances to such a player and if he makes use of them, what an option you will have.” he added.

Aakash Chopra, however, admitted that India currently has a plethora of opening options in the form of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and even Virat Kohli, and while Prithvi Shaw may not find a place in the T20 World Cup squad, one should just forget about it for now and focus on watching him bat in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.

”I am not saying that there is a spot available at the top. There is Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli himself wants to open if we look towards the World T20 but don’t think about that now. He [Shaw] allows you to play a different brand of cricket.” said Chopra.

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