Aakash Chopra picks his Indian XI for the 1st ODI vs South Africa; leaves out Suryakumar Yadav and Ruturaj Gaikwad

Aakash Chopra has picked his preferred Indian XI for the first ODI against South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav and Ruturaj Gaikwad are a couple of the in-form players he opted to leave out.

The Indian team management has some tricky decisions to make while choosing their XI for the first ODI. With Venkatesh Iyer likely to play at No. 6 as a batting all-rounder, there is a lot of competition for the other middle-order berths.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that Team India would be in a dilemma while deciding on the number of specialist batters. He explained:

"There is a problem in the batting order, whether you should play five or six batters. This problem is not going to go. Rahul said in the press conference that they want to play Venkatesh Iyer as the sixth bowler, it means he will have to bat at No. 6 as well."

The cricketer-turned-commentator picked his preferred top six if Venkatesh Iyer is part of the playing XI. Chopra observed:

"If he bats at No. 6, some batter will have to miss out. Only one can play between Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, I think it will be Shreyas Iyer at No. 4, Pant at No. 5 and Venkatesh Iyer at No. 6."

Aakash Chopra added that he doesn't see a place for Suryakumar Yadav, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Ishan Kishan in the team.

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"You should play both Ashwin and Chahal" - Aakash Chopra

Ravichandran Ashwin is staging a comeback to the Indian ODI squad

Aakash Chopra wants Team India to field both Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the XI. He reasoned:

"You want to play five bowlers. I feel you should play both spinners, play both Ashwin and Chahal, then you will get a varied attack. If you play four fast bowlers with Venkatesh Iyer, the attack will become too one-dimensional."

The 44-year-old also picked Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur as his three seamers. Chopra elaborated:

"I understand your batting becomes a little weak because I don't consider R Ashwin or Shardul Thakur an all-rounder in ODI cricket. Bhuvi and Bumrah will be my two choices. Along with them, maybe you will have to pick Shardul Thakur because Bhuvi and Deepak Chahar will become similar kinds of bowlers."

Aakash Chopra's Indian XI for the 1st ODI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal