"Ishan Kishan opening and scoring a fifty has not told me anything" - Aakash Chopra questions India's batting order in 1st ODI vs West Indies

Aakash Chopra reckons Ishan Kishan scoring a half-century at the top of the order has not helped India finalise their second wicketkeeper-batter for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The Men in Blue bowled out the West Indies for 114 after asking them to bat first in the first ODI in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday, July 27. Kishan scored a 46-ball 52 as Rohit Sharma and Co. chased down the below-par target with five wickets and 27.1 overs to spare.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Kishan's fifty has not helped him seal a spot ahead of Sanju Samson as India's second wicketkeeper-batter behind KL Rahul:

"There was a big question in batting that whether Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan will play. Ishan Kishan opening and scoring a fifty has not told me anything. I already knew that Ishan Kishan is a good player."

The former Indian opener pointed out that the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter's credentials at the top of the order were never in doubt:

"Ishan Kishan was slotted to bat at No. 4, from which you could understand that this team is looking at him as the second wicketkeeper who will bat in the middle order - makes a lot of sense. However, you got him to open, and he scored a fifty. He is going to do that. He has scored a double hundred in ODIs."

Chopra acknowledged that Kishan is undoubtedly the best choice if India are looking for a third opener, as Shikhar Dhawan is not part of the team. However, he added that the left-hander couldn't have given the middle-order audition, if he's being looked at for that role, by opening the batting.

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"I had kept Suryakumar Yadav in my World Cup team, but for that, he will have to score runs" - Aakash Chopra

Suryakumar Yadav scored 19 off 25.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav frittered away another chance to secure his place in India's World Cup squad:

"Then came Suryakumar Yadav - that's another question. This was an opportunity for him. I had kept Suryakumar Yadav in my World Cup team but for that, he will have to score runs.

"He was sent to bat at No. 3 so that he goes and collects runs, and his name continues to remain in the audition."

The cricketer-turned-commentator was particularly disappointed with the unconventional batter's approach, which eventually led to his dismissal:

"He was batting decently, but the way he got out - he first hit a sweep which went for a four, another sweep and got beaten, another sweep and a leg-before appeal, and then another sweep and got out leg-before. These were four consecutive balls and not four separate events."

Chopra pointed out that while such an approach is understandable in T20 cricket, questions are asked if the same thing is done in ODIs.

He added that Suryakumar might not get a chance to bat at No. 3 in the remaining two games, as India will likely bat first, irrespective of who wins the toss and would want to play with a regular batting order.