"Send Hardik Pandya ahead of Rishabh Pant" - Aakash Chopra says all-rounder can score 70-80 runs in 30 balls

Aakash Chopra feels Hardik Pandya can be better utilized by Team India by promoting him in the batting order, even ahead of Rishabh Pant.

Hardik batted at the No. 6 position in the first T20I against South Africa. He smoked an unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls to help the Men In Blue set a 212-run target for the Proteas, which proved insufficient in the end.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on some of the changes Team India could make for the second T20I. Regarding Hardik's batting position, he said:

"I feel you should send Hardik Pandya slightly up the order, whenever a wicket falls after the 10th to 12th over. If you give him 30 balls to play, he is going to give you a 70 or 80, he will do something like that. You can send Hardik Pandya ahead of Rishabh Pant."

The former Indian opener wants Yuzvendra Chahal to be given his full quota of overs and Harshal Patel to raise his game slightly while playing for Team India. Chopra explained:

"Should there be any change in the bowling? Get Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl first, give him his full quota of four overs. That's one thing you must do. An interesting stat about Harshal Patel is that, he bowls very well at the death, but for RCB he gives nine-odd runs per over but 11 runs per over for India. So he has been slightly under the scanner when it comes to India."

Chahal bowled just 2.1 overs in the first T20I against South Africa. Harshal, meanwhile, conceded 43 runs in his four overs. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer was taken for 22 runs in the 17th over of the Proteas innings, which changed the course of the game in the visitors' favor.

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"There is no need for a change" - Aakash Chopra feels Team India should stick to the same playing XI

Dinesh Karthik got to play just a couple of balls in the first T20I [P/C: BCCI]

While observing that Deepak Hooda should have played the first T20I, Chopra feels Team India should not be making any personnel changes now. He reasoned:

"Do India have scope for a change? I will say there is no need for a change, go with the same team because if you make changes repeatedly, it will not work. In my opinion, Deepak Hooda should have been played the first match itself."

The renowned commentator, however, pointed out that Dinesh Karthik might not get too many deliveries to face. Chopra elaborated:

"But now that you have not played him (Hooda), then don't play him now, else you will do wrong with Dinesh Karthik. But he (Karthik) is unlikely to get much batting, let's be honest, the number at which he is batting, he is not going to get to bat much."

Karthik was picked in the Indian squad for the T20I series against South Africa based on his exploits as a finisher in IPL 2022. The veteran keeper-batter needs to continue being part of the playing XI to see if he can replicate those performances at the international level.

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