India Cricket Update: Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya have been urged to be sent up the order by Aakash Chopra for the duo to have a solid hit in the middle.
In their second and last warm-up encounter before the Super 12 stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup, India takes against Australia. Before facing arch-rivals Pakistan in the tournament opener on October 24, the Virat Kohli-led team will seek to iron out any lingering flaws. Aakash Chopra expressed his desire for Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya to be given more overs to bat in the India-Australia match. He elaborated:
"You need people in the form to finish games off, and for that, I request with folded hands to send them both [Surya and Hardik] up the order. You wasted a chance in the last match, and you won't get this chance every time."
In the T20 World Cup, the cricketer-turned-commentator believes Team India would try to put Rishabh Pant ahead of Suryakumar Yadav at No.4. Chopra, on the other hand, wants the idea to be put on hold for the match against Australia.
"I am getting the smell that Rishabh Pant might actually be seen playing for India at No.4 which is not a bad idea because there is no lefty up or down the order. You want to paradrop a lefty before Jaddu comes but that can wait till the Pakistan game."
Pant batted at No. 4 and scored an undefeated 29 in Team India's victory over England. Suryakumar Yadav, on the other hand, only managed eight runs from nine deliveries.
"Suryakumar Yadav's performance in the second half of the IPL has been disappointing."
Surykumar Yadav, according to Aakash Chopra, needs more time in the middle because he was not at his best in the IPL 2021. He went on to say:
"If you play him [Pant] at No.4, the ones you have kept at No.5 and No.6 don't have form. Suryakumar Yadav, of course, made runs in the last match he played for Mumbai but his second half of the IPL has been lacklustre, other than one match."
Hardik Pandya has had an even worse run, according to the 44-year-old, and the two being back at their best is crucial for Team India. Chopra remarked:
"Hardik Pandya has not made runs at all. You gave him few deliveries to face in the last match as well. So you have good players till No.4, who are also in form. At No.5 and No.6, you have good players but they are not in form."
If Yadav or Pandya are not at their best, Team India may contemplate playing Ishan Kishan in the middle order. With an exciting performance of 70 runs in 46 balls in the first warm-up match against England, Kishan made a strong argument for his participation.