Aakash Chopra on Shivam Dube’s selection for the Afghanistan T20Is: “Need replacement for Hardik Pandya”

Aakash Chopra also questioned why, just after the ODI World Cup, Dube was not included in any of India’s five Twenty20 international matches against Australia.

On January 7, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the team for the three-match Twenty20 International series against Afghanistan. The much-awaited comebacks of skipper Rohit Sharma and ace batsman Virat Kohli were among the main talking points of the selection announcement. After 14 months, they will play a Twenty20 international match.

All-rounder Shivam Dube has been summoned back after being left out of the T20Is in South Africa, which is another intriguing choice that former Indian opener Aakash Chopra highlighted.

Dube was left out of the South Africa tour, but he was in the Indian team for the five-match home T20I series against Australia. According to Chopra, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player appears to have taken the place of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is still recovering from an ankle injury he sustained during the ODI World Cup 2023. He was baffled as to why Dube had been excluded from the visit of South Africa, though.

Shivam Dube has returned, thanks to the Indian team. That’s not surprising to me, as I believe you needed a replacement for Hardik Pandya in South Africa as well,” Chopra stated in a video that was posted to his official YouTube page.

“He could have also been used in a couple of games against Australia. Five bowlers and six hitters are used in your game. Even though you don’t have a sixth bowling choice, you don’t alter it. You didn’t play Dube in any of the five games that the team played in India, according to Aakash Chopra.

The 46-year-old said that Dube might have been useful in South African conditions and that he could not understand why India did not alter their lineup of five bowlers and six batters during the series against South Africa.

You also didn’t play Washington, Sundar. You continued using that same lineup of five bowlers and six hitters. How come you never brought Shivam Dube to South Africa if you wanted to change that? In South African conditions, that would have been the perfect opportunity to play him,” he said.

Washington was included in the team for the Twenty20 International matches against South Africa and Australia; however, he did not get to participate in any matches.

There are a few fast bowlers who are a little less; therefore, Shivam Dube might be playing: Aakash Chopra
Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan are the only three front-line pacers that India has selected for their 16-man T20I team against Afghanistan. According to Chopra, Dube’s chances of playing in the series are “slightly less” because there are three pacers.

Shivam Dube might be playing because there are three quick bowlers, who are marginally fewer. Still, the truth is that you will have Yashasvi Jaiswal or Shubman Gill with Rohit Sharma, followed by Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma. After that, you’ll only play five bowlers once more, Chopra continued.

Tilak Varma could have to be left out of the playing XI in order to make room for Dube, according to the Delhi batsman. On Thursday, January 11, at Mohali, the inaugural Twenty20 International match is scheduled.