Akash Chopra questions Yashasvi Jaiswal's place in Champions Trophy squad
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has cast doubts over Yashasvi Jaiswal's inclusion in the final 15 for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Although Jaiswal is part of India's preliminary squad, Chopra feels that the young batter may not be required due to a well-established batting order. He also hinted that Jasprit Bumrah's injury could lead to major changes in the team composition.
Career start
Jaiswal's ODI debut and subsequent exclusion
Jaiswal made his ODI debut in the Nagpur game against England on February 6. He opened with Rohit Sharma, with Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer following at number 3 and 4, respectively. The decision was taken as injured Virat Kohli missed the match. However, when Kohli returned for the 2nd ODI in Cuttack, Jaiswal was dropped from the team.
Team composition
Chopra's analysis of India's batting order
Chopra dissected the current team combination on his YouTube show, saying India's batting line-up looks settled with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer filling the top four slots. He added one of KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant may have to be sacrificed owing to an extra batter in the line-up. This could affect Jaiswal's position in the team.
Replacement suggestion
Chopra suggests Siraj as potential replacement
Chopra also suggested Mohammed Siraj could be a possible replacement for Jaiswal in the squad, particularly if Jasprit Bumrah's recovery takes time. He reasoned that Siraj's experience could be useful against Pakistan. This comes amid doubts over Bumrah's fitness for the Champions Trophy as he is currently being supervised by the BCCI medical team after suffering a back injury.