Aakash Chopra picks his preferred Team India XI for the 1st T20I vs West Indies; leaves out Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur

Aakash Chopra has picked his preferred Team India XI for the first T20I against the West Indies to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 16.

The Indian team management have an 18-member squad to choose from for the three-match T20I series against the Windies. KL Rahul, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, who were part of the originally chosen squad, have been ruled out of the series and have been replaced by Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda and Kuldeep Yadav.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra picked Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli as his top three in the batting lineup. He elaborated:

"I have made Ishan Kishan open with Rohit Sharma because you had played Ishan an ODI also just now and he was in any case the original choice in T20s, Ruturaj came later. Virat Kohli at No. 3."

The cricketer-turned-commentator chose Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer to complete his top six. Chopra explained:

"I am playing Pant at No. 4. I can play Shreyas Iyer also here but I will say play Pant because you are anyway wanting a left-right combination. But then I will not play Iyer at No. 5, I am playing Suryakumar Yadav. After that, I am going with Venkatesh Iyer."

Aakash Chopra pointed out that he picked Yadav ahead of Shreyas Iyer because he rates the former higher at the No. 5 position in the T20 format. He added that he would prefer to play Venkatesh Iyer ahead of Deepak Hooda because a spinner would find it more difficult with the wet ball.

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"Kuldeep Yadav will have to wait" - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra picked Deepak Chahar ahead of Shardul Thakur as a seam-bowling all-rounder

Aakash Chopra named Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar and Yuzvendra Chahal as his first three bowling picks. He observed:

"After that, I have picked Axar Patel and Deepak Chahar - that makes it my two all-rounders. Then I have picked Yuzvendra Chahal. I am not going to pick two leg-spinners, so Kuldeep Yadav will have to wait."

The 44-year-old picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Siraj as the specialist seam bowlers. Chopra reasoned:

"I have picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar because he is a part of the squad, else I would have picked Harshal Patel or Avesh Khan. But if Bhuvi is there, he will play, else don't pick him in the 15. Then I am going with Mohammed Siraj."

Although Chopra has picked Axar Patel in his playing XI, the left-arm spinner has been ruled out of the series due to an injury. Team India will have to field either Kuldeep Yadav or Ravi Bishnoi as the second spinner in such a scenario. They could also pick Deepak Hooda if they want to add some depth to the batting.