Former India opener Aakash Chopra is of the opinion that neither of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja will be part of the playing XI in the Test series against Australia. Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Chopra said that Pandya is unlikely to make it to the team, while Jadeja won’t be part of the playing XI.
Despite the series still a few months away, the excitement is already at its high and there are a lot of discussions taking place on what team combination should India go ahead with. Would India go with Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal as openers, or would KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma also be in the mix for the same positions? Would it be Wriddhiman Saha as wicketkeeper or Rishabh Pant? Do all allrounders R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja fit into the team together?
“I feel neither of them might play. That is a very strong possibility. Because I feel that Hardik Pandya making it to the Test team doesn’t look possible to me currently,” he said on his Youtube channel ‘Aakash Vani.
“That is because he has a back injury, he has not started bowling, he has not played ODIs, he might play T20s but will you play him in Tests after playing in the IPL,” the former cricketer added.
“Is he ready for Tests and does he want to play Tests currently? First thing first, I do not envisage Hardik Pandya playing the first Test match in Australia. That is what I feel,” Chopra said.
“I feel before Ravindra Jadeja, you might want to look at Ashwin and Kuldeep first. Because Kuldeep is a wrist-spinner and last time when he played in Australia, he took six wickets. After that you have not played him, so I feel he might get a chance there,” the cricketer-turned-commentator opined.
“How can you forget Ashwin, he could also get a chance. So I feel forget about Jaddu and Hardik playing together, their playing itself might not be a certainty when the team takes field against Australia later this year,” he added.
