"Indian cricket picks Samson in a format which is not very important that year" - Aakash Chopra on India's squad for ODI series vs South Africa

Aakash Chopra has observed that Sanju Samson is generally picked in the Indian squad in a format that does not have short-term importance.

The Men in Blue will face South Africa in a three-match ODI series, with the first game to be played in Johannesburg on Sunday. Samson is one of two wicketkeeper-batters in the Indian squad, with captain KL Rahul being the other.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Shreyas Iyer and Rinku Singh should be a part of India's playing XI for the first ODI. However, he wasn't too sure about Samson getting a chance, saying (7:10):

"Shreyas Iyer will play this match. Rinku Singh will definitely play. I don't know how many opportunities Samson will get but he should get. Somehow Indian cricket picks Samson in a format which is not very important that year. Now ODIs are not important, so you will find Sanju Samson's name there."

The former India opener wasn't certain about Ruturaj Gaikwad's partner at the top of the order either. He elaborated (6:00):

"They usually have a line of openers and here you are not finding many. KL Rahul plays as a middle-order wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs. Who will open? Who along with Ruturaj Gaikwad? Rajat Patidar or Sai Sudharsan, or will you get Tilak Varma to open, or Shreyas Iyer or Rahul?"

While observing that the usual openers aren't part of the squad, Chopra opined that either Sai Sudharsan or Rajat Patidar could perform that role. He stated:

"Yashasvi (Jaiswal), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan - none of these names are there in this team. Since someone has to open, they will get it done with whoever they wish. Either Sai Sudharsan or Rajat Patidar might be that opener. I have got no idea because no one has said anything."

The Indian team management could go with Sudharsan as Gaikwad's opening partner to have a left-right combination. They could even consider opening with either Tilak Varma or Sanju Samson if they want to accommodate both of them in the XI.

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"Axar will definitely play" - Aakash Chopra

Axar Patel is one of two spin-bowling all-rounders in India's squad. [P/C: BCCI]

While opining that Axar Patel is a certainty in the playing XI, Aakash Chopra wasn't sure whether Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav would play in tandem. He said (7:30):

"Yuzi and Kuldeep are both available but will both of them play together - I am not so sure. Axar will definitely play because he is now a part of ODIs but wasn't in T20Is because Ravindra Jadeja was the vice-captain there."

Washington Sundar is the other spin-bowling all-rounder in the Indian squad. The visitors could play a spin-heavy attack in the first ODI as the Johannesburg wicket assisted the spinners in the final T20I.