"He came to bat at No. 8" - Aakash Chopra questions India's playing XI in IND vs ENG 2025 3rd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the Men in Blue's playing XI in the third T20I against England. He pointed out that Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar were included in the XI, but weren't utilized effectively.

England set India a 172-run target in the third game of the five-match series in Rajkot on Tuesday, January 28. The hosts lost the game by 26 runs, with Jurel batting at No. 8 and Sundar bowling a solitary over and scoring six runs off 15 deliveries at No. 6.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered whether Suryakumar Yadav & Co. are playing the right combination.

"I have got a question. Are we playing the right team? What is Washington's role in this team? Why do you need to play Dhruv Jurel if you are neither going to get him to keep, of course, nor bat him in the top seven? He came to bat at No. 8. Aren't you surprised?" he said (0:10).

Chopra questioned whether India should have played an additional bowler as Jurel was used virtually as a specialist fielder.

"If Dhruv Jurel is going to bat so low, that's not right. How can you play DJ at No. 8? He doesn't keep because Sanju (Samson) does that. He fields well and takes good catches, but he is not playing as a fielder. If you are sending Dhruv Jurel at No. 8, might as well play a bowler," he elaborated.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that India lost by 26 runs while chasing a modest total despite playing Dhruv Jurel at No. 8. He added that Hardik Pandya even refused a single and opted to farm the strike when he was batting with Jurel.

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"You don't want to play any fast bowler" - Aakash Chopra on India playing one specialist seamer

Mohammed Shami was the only specialist seamer in India's playing XI in the third T20I against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India have refrained from playing a second specialist seamer in the first three T20Is.

"I don't think we are selecting the right team. Arshdeep Singh was playing earlier and Hardik Pandya was there with him. Then Mohammed Shami played and Hardik was there with him too. It's not that this team doesn't have any other fast bowlers, but you don't want to play any fast bowler," he said (7:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator questioned why Washington Sundar was given a solitary over if the hosts wanted to play four spinners.

"You are saying you want four spinners. Let me agree that you need four spinners, but are you bowling 16 overs of spin? You don't do that as well. You got Washington to bowl only one over. You cannot play someone for one over. It is bizarre," Chopra observed.

While acknowledging that Sundar bats decently, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the spin-bowling all-rounder wouldn't have been played for his batting. He added that India should have played at least two proper fast bowlers as they are not playing on rank turners and are unable to use their spinners effectively.