NEW DELHI: Former India opener Aakash Chopra, on his YouTube channel, weighed in on Shubman Gill‘s vice-captaincy appointment for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the England ODIs, stating it solidifies his position in the squad.
“Gill being made the vice-captain means he is the heir apparent. They were focusing on him earlier and are continuing to do so now. To be fair, they should as well. His numbers in ODIs are very, very good,” Chopra said.
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However, Chopra expressed concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal’s omission from the T20I series against England despite his inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad. “No one doubted that Jaiswal would be the third opener, and he is. But he won’t play any matches against England or start in the Champions Trophy XI. You could have played him in the T20Is against England,” Chopra suggested.
India is set to play a five-match T20I series against England starting January 22 in Kolkata, followed by three ODIs before the Champions Trophy in Dubai.
Chopra further lauded the selectors for including Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul in the squad. “After your three openers, you have Kohli, Iyer, and Rahul. These picks were expected and deserved. Rahul is your first-choice wicketkeeper-batter,” he explained.
He also highlighted Hardik Pandya’s importance, stating, “With Pandya, your top six are sorted. There is no tension there. In my opinion, this top six is excellent. Everyone’s performance in white-ball cricket over the last year or two has been outstanding. Why fix it if it ain’t broken?”
Chopra’s insights provide a clear perspective on India’s strategy as they gear up for the England series and the ICC Champions Trophy.
