Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes the team thinktank should continue experimenting if the management thinks that’s the way forward for the ODI series decider against the West Indies set to happen at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Tuesday.
The series is on the line for India, who suffered a six-wicket defeat in the second ODI to West Indies after being bowled out for just 181. In that match at Kensington Oval, India rested veterans like captain Rohit Sharma and talismanic batter Virat Kohli, giving game time to Sanju Samson and Axar Patel in another round of experiments by the side ahead of this year’s ODI World Cup.
“If you were to look at the series for experiments, why stop? If you’re going in with the philosophy that ‘I am going to try a lot of cricketers, I’m going to give chances to the players who haven’t gotten enough game time.’ Why change? You’ve done it in the first game, you’ve done it in the second game. Just give more opportunities to the players who haven’t gotten enough in the past,” Chopra was quoted as saying by JioCinema.
Chopra then posed an opposing viewpoint, saying that if the team wants to maximise its chances of winning the third ODI and the series, they’ll have to bring in veterans Rohit and Virat into the line-up.
“That’ll also mean the end of giving opportunities to someone like Sanju Samson or Suryakumar Yadav, one of the two will have to sit out. Axar Patel won’t get another opportunity,” he added.
On the bowling front, Chopra does not wish to see India end up using seven bowlers like they did in the second ODI and wants the side to pick an extra batter for the series decider.
“India have a lot of bowling options. With regards to fast bowlers, they have four. They played as many as three in the previous game. You don’t need seven options to play in an ODI on a surface that’s bowler friendly.”
“On a pitch where run-scoring is difficult and bowlers are doing well, you don’t need to change much but you must also ensure you give them enough opportunities. Umran Malik bowled just three overs in the first and second games, and Axar Patel bowled only two overs in the previous game. Where you’re not able to give enough overs to the bowlers you’re picking, cut down on the resources and maybe play an extra batter.”
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