Aakash Chopra picks unselected Indian XI for 2025 Asia Cup, chooses KL Rahul to bat at No. 3

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked an Indian XI comprising players who weren't selected in the Men in Blue's squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. He chose KL Rahul to bat at No. 3, but gave the wicketkeeping gloves to Rishabh Pant.

The 2025 Asia Cup will be played in the UAE from September 9 onwards. The selectors recently picked a 15-member Indian squad for the continental event, with Suryakumar Yadav as the captain and Shubman Gill as his deputy.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India batter chose Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as the openers in his alternate XI.

"Let's start with Yashasvi Jaiswal. I feel his name should have been there in the Asia Cup squad as well because he was part of the T20 World Cup squad. If he was there, why not here, as continuity is spoken about?" Chopra said (1:25).

"Along with him, I have kept Ruturaj Gaikwad. He has been the Indian team's vice-captain and scored a century against Australia in Guwahati. He got injured in the IPL, but he is also a consistent performer. He is also someone who has completely disappeared from the scene," he added.

Chopra picked Rahul to bat at No. 3, highlighting the 33-year-old's ability to adjust his game according to the situation.

"At No. 3, I have thought of keeping KL Rahul. He can open and bat down the order, but No. 3 is not a bad number. If you ask him to play fast, he will do that. If wickets are falling from one end, and he is asked to manage, he can do that. He also does wicketkeeping, but we are not getting him to do that," he elaborated.

The cricketer-turned-commentator chose Shreyas Iyer as the captain, Pant as the wicketkeeper-batter, and Nitish Kumar Reddy as the seam-bowling all-rounder to complete his top six.

"I have kept Shreyas Iyer at No. 4 in my team and as a captain. At No. 5, I have got Rishabh Pant as a wicketkeeper-batter in my team. At No. 6, I have kept Nitish Kumar Reddy because he does the job Hardik Pandya does," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra noted that Ajit Agarkar, the selection committee chairman, mentioned in the press conference that none of the players missed selection in the Asia Cup squad due to fitness concerns. He opined that the statement implies that Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy wouldn't have been in the selectors' scheme of things even if they had been fit.

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"The sort of IPL Krunal Pandya had, I think his name should be kept" - Aakash Chopra on choosing spin-bowling all-rounder at No. 7

Krunal Pandya impressed for RCB in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra chose Krunal Pandya and Washington Sundar as the two spin-bowling all-rounders in his playing XI.

"At No. 7 and No. 8, I am keeping Krunal Pandya and Washington Sundar. Washi Sundar will give me overs, and he brings depth in my batting. The sort of IPL Krunal Pandya had, I think his name should be kept," he said.

The analyst completed his XI by picking Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj as the three specialist bowlers.

"I will keep Ravi Bishnoi at No. 9, although Yuzvendra Chahal's name could have also been there. At Nos. 10 and 11, I have kept Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra named Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yuzvendra Chahal and Khaleel Ahmed as the rest of the players in his alternate squad.

Aakash Chopra's unselected Indian XI for 2025 Asia Cup: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj