Former India opener Aakash Chopra has discussed the possible changes to India’s playing XI for the fourth T20I against the West Indies. He highlighted the challenge of balancing the batting and bowling combinations ahead of the match in Hyderabad.
Chopra said India would need to include Kuldeep Yadav in the final XI and either Mayank Yadav or Prince Yadav will have to make way for the spinner.
India included pacer Prince Yadav and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy in the playing XI for the third match. However, the changes meant that wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube missed out.
“Varun Aaron said that the pitch has been relaid, which means there will be slight help for the bowlers. The ground is decent-sized. It seems like it is very small because a lot of runs are scored. The conditions used to be very good for batting, but we have also seen that as the IPL progressed, the pitches used to become slower, and fewer runs were scored than in the first half,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Since it won’t be a flat pitch and it won’t be a small ground, you will have to play Kuldeep Yadav. In whose place you would play Kuldeep Yadav is a big question that I would ask. Either Prince or Mayank will have to sit out because you need a batter at No. 8. So you are going to play with only three bowlers,” he added.
Chopra pointed out that Arshdeep Singh is a certainty in the playing XI whereas Mayank Yadav is expected to retain his place.
“Arshdeep is one of them. If you keep Kuldeep, only one of the two Yadavs will be left. Keep Mayank or Prince. At this point in time, it seems like you would go with Mayank. That is one change,” he observed.
The renowned commentator said India will need to choose between Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reddy scored 21 runs off 14 balls in the previous game and bagged 1-19 in his two overs.
“Secondly, will you want to bring Shivam Dube back? That is another question because he hadn’t done anything wrong for you to leave him out. However, Nitish Kumar Reddy plays for the SunRisers Hyderabad and knows this ground very well, and bowled and picked up a wicket in the previous match. He bats decently. So, do you want to just stick with him?” he said.
The fourth T20I between India and the West Indies will be played at Hyderabad on Wednesday.
