Aakash Chopra picks India's likely playing combination for the T20I series vs South Africa; no place for Dinesh Karthik and Kuldeep Yadav

Aakash Chopra has picked Team India's likely playing combination for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. Dinesh Karthik and Kuldeep Yadav are a couple of notable omissions in his playing XI.

The Men in Blue will face the Proteas in a five-match T20I series, with the first game to be played on June 9. The selectors have announced an 18-member squad for the series, with KL Rahul at the helm in Rohit Sharma's absence.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the team management would have to choose between Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad as Rahul's opening partner. The cricketer-turned-analyst elaborated:

"What is the composition of the XI you are going to see? I feel you might see Ishan Kishan opening alongside KL Rahul. But there are a lot of keepers, so he might not open, you can open with Ruturaj Gaikwad and not Ishan Kishan, that's a choice."

The former India cricketer picked Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya as the other batters in his lineup. Chopra observed:

"I feel Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Hooda should definitely get a place in the XI. After that, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. That makes your middle order ready. Your batting becomes formidable there."

Venkatesh Iyer and Karthik are the other batters in the 18-member squad. The duo might get a look in if the likes of Rahul, Shreyas and Pant are rested for the latter part of the series.

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"You will keep Axar Patel in the team because you want a little depth in the batting" - Aakash Chopra

Axar Patel is the only bowling all-rounder in the 18-member squad

Chopra picked Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal as his two preferred spinners. The former Indian batter explained:

"After that, you will keep Axar Patel in the team because you want a little depth in the batting. So Axar as a left-arm spinner and a batter. If you play Axar, you will only be able to play Yuzi Chahal."

The renowned commentator concluded by observing that Team India are likely to field a three-pronged pace attack during the series. Chopra reasoned:

"That makes it your two spinners and the team generally goes in with three fast bowlers. The matches are in multiple venues but the truth is that not much cricket has been played anywhere, so you will not get spinning tracks. Although it is going to be very hot, but I don't think you will get turning tracks in this series."

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh are the five seamers in the Indian squad. While Kumar is expected to lead the attack, the other pacers might be rotated during the series.