Aakash Chopra picks India's probable top 6 for 1st T20I vs West Indies, feels Yashasvi Jaiswal can bat at No. 3

Aakash Chopra reckons Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal could be India's top three in the first T20I against the West Indies.

The Men in Blue will lock horns with the Windies in a five-match T20I series, with the first game to be played in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Thursday, August 3. While Gill and Kishan opened the batting in all three games of the preceding ODI series, Jaiswal is another enticing top-order option available for the shortest format.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Gill and Kishan should ideally be the opening pair, reasoning:

"Shubman Gill will definitely play. He should play because he has struck a T20I century and is coming after setting the IPL on fire. Alongside him, Ishan Kishan is logical because he has scored four consecutive fifties - one in a Test match and then three in ODIs as an opener."

However, the former Indian opener pointed out that Jaiswal is on the back of a prolific run in IPL 2023 and the Test series against the same opponents, elaborating:

"It will become a left-right combination as well but there is Yashasvi Jaiswal too. He also scored a lot of runs in the IPL. He scored a century and remained unbeaten in the 90s once in Kolkata against KKR. He is a very good player and played very well in the Tests."

Chopra feels the Indian team management might be tempted to play all three, saying:

"So will he get an opportunity here? I feel this will be a slight question for the Indian team management whether the three of them can be batted at one, two and three. I feel that will definitely be a temptation because Yashasvi Jaiswal is extremely talented."

Jaiswal smashed 625 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 163.61 in 14 innings in IPL 2023. He also smoked the fastest fifty in the history of the prestigious league, achieving the milestone off just 13 deliveries.

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"No. 4 is his latest" - Aakash Chopra on Suryakumar Yadav's batting position

Suryakumar Yadav has an exceptional record in T20Is.

Aakash Chopra expects Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson to complete the top six if Gill, Kishan and Jaiswal are part of the XI, observing:

"There are two other batters - Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. Suryakumar Yadav at No. 3 or No. 4 - No. 4 is his latest, although it is even better if he bats at No. 3. But if Yashasvi is playing at No. 3, for example, you might see Surya at No. 4, Hardik Pandya at No. 5 and Sanju Samson at No. 6."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels Pandya and Co. can alternatively play Tilak Varma instead of Jaiswal, stating:

"Then there won't be a place for Tilak Varma. Otherwise, you can opt not to play Yashasvi, keep Surya at No. 3, Tilak at No. 4, Hardik at No. 5 and Sanju at No. 6. That's another option."

Chopra sees India fielding both wicketkeeping options, Kishan and Samson, in the playing XI. While opining that Kishan should play for sure, he pointed out that Samson scored a destructive half-century in the last ODI against the Windies.