India's top three batsmen should be given another chance, feels Aakash Chopra

While the chorus grows to bring back Cheteshwar Pujara for the second Test versus England at Lord’s, former Indian opener and current commentator Aakash Chopra feels that India should stick with the same combination of Murali Vijay-Shikhar Dhawan-KL Rahul manning the top three positions in the batting order. According to Chopra, if Dhawan and Rahul were good enough to play in the order they did in the first Test, they deserve another opportunity.

India lost the first game by 31 runs as their batsmen saw a collective failure except for captain Virat Kohli who hit 149 and 51 in the two innings to take the fight to the opposition. None of the top three comprising Vijay, Dhawan and Rahul could come up with something significant to make an impact. The only positive was a 50-run opening stand in the first innings but the visitors couldn’t capitalise on it.

Speaking on persisting with Dhawan who scored 26 and 13 in the first Test after scoring a pair in the warm-up game against Essex, Chopra, said, “If Shikhar Dhawan was good enough to be picked for the first Test match, you got to show a bit more faith and bit more patience and allow him to either fail or succeed. Give him another opportunity is what I feel. For the same reason, I am picking KL Rahul to bat at three.”

The former cricketer said he wanted Pujara to play the first Test but since he didn’t get a chance eventually, he now wants those who played in that game to get another go.

Ravindra Jadeja in place of Hardik Pandya

Aakash Chopra, nevertheless, suggested one change in the XI for the Lord’s Test, picking left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder who is yet to produce a special performance in his short Test career so far, especially in bowling.

“In the eight Test matches he (Hardik Pandya) has played, he has picked only seven wickets. He is not even bowling enough to share the workload of the remaining four bowlers. Also, the fact that (in) last four matches, he remained wicketless,” he said while speaking to ESPN Cricinfo.

Pandya did not get any wicket in the 10 overs he bowled in the first innings at Edgbaston and did not get to bowl in the second. In batting, he was equally off, scoring 53 runs in two outings.

Does your India XI for the Lord's Test match @cricketaakash's? https://t.co/TUOnEtdx51 #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/Xs5OPQs1Ug

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 9, 2018

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