Jaiswal Slightly Ahead of Gill” – Chopra on India’s Asia Cup Selection Dilemma

Former India opener Aakash Chopra feels Yashasvi Jaiswal has a slight advantage over Shubman Gill when it comes to making India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. He explained that Jaiswal’s attacking style suits the T20 format better.

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel is expected to meet on August 19 to pick the team for the Asia Cup, which will be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28. Interestingly, both Gill and Jaiswal have not played a T20I in over a year, as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have now become the preferred opening pair.

“It is important that you keep an opener with you because, while counting the previous 15-member squad, there was no third opener in the Indian team. We never thought that if Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson would lose their form, then who would open. But then, you have to keep a third opener for the World Cup,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel on Saturday.

Jaiswal vs Gill: Chopra Backs Jaiswal for Asia Cup Spot

“As per T20 figures, Yashasvi is little ahead of Shubman. The way he plays T20 and the DNA of the team, he also marries that style. Sometimes it also happens that if you pick Shubman as the third opener, who is your Test captain, the ODI vice-captain, now you have him on the bench in T20Is, that will not look very nice,” he added.

“So the selectors will be thinking that if we are going to select Shubman, then we will have to give him a place in the eleven. Though picking Shubman is tempting, but I feel Yashasvi should be slightly ahead in this race,” he said.

It won’t be an easy call for the selectors to drop either Gill or Jaiswal, but fitting them into the team also looks tough. The opening spots are already taken by Abhishek and Sanju, and behind them India has Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya, a strong line-up with players who have already proved themselves.

Chopra on Team Dilemma: Where Will Gill or Jaiswal Play?

While there could be a possibility of including one of them, the question is at whose expense.

“But if that third opener is Shubman, do you want him to sit on the bench? If you don't make him sit and play in the eleven, who will he come in for? If that player's name is Sanju Samson, who will keep wickets?”

“That is the problem because we don't see Sanju Samson playing in the middle order. You would want him at the top of the order. Tilak and Surya will play at number three and four. So, Sanju at fifth? That won't be a good story. If you want someone at fifth, then you will have to think about Jitesh Sharma because he has done very well in the IPL,” added Chopra.

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