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Aakash Chopra criticizes Indian team for picking Ruturaj Gaikwad over Rishabh Pant at number four in Ranchi ODI against South Africa.
Rishabh Pant (PTI Photo)
Former opener Aakash Chopra has criticised the Indian team management for choosing Ruturaj Gaikwad over Rishabh Pant in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. He said he’s struggling to ‘understand what is going on’ when Gaikwad, an opener by trade, is being picked for a middle order role ahead of Pant, who is well-suited to bat at number four.
Gaikwad had batted only in the top three in ODIs so far. In Ranchi, he scored 8 (14), starting cautiously before getting out at his first truly aggressive shot — a slash at backward point where Dewald Brevis took a stunning catch. Washington Sundar was chosen for a new position at number five, too, and he couldn’t make the most of it either, managing only 13 (19).
Chopra said he’d request, with folded hands, that the team management not drop Gaikwad even after he fails in the three ODIs.
“I really don’t understand what is going on,” Chopra said. “Ruturaj Gaikwad has never batted at no.4 in ODIs. You sent him to that position, and he got out only because Dewald Brevis took a stunning catch,” Chopra said. “When he was dismissed, I literally folded my hands and said, please give him three full chances. Even if he fails, don’t discard him immediately. Don’t judge him on just these three performances. His main job is to open the batting. Until you can give him that position, you don’t have any right to pass a verdict on his ODI career,” he added.
Pant hasn’t played any ODIs since last year, but his number four record is decent: 498 runs in 17 innings at an average of 31.13.
“And now Rishabh Pant – when will you actually play him? He is a pure middle-order batter, best suited at No.4 or No.5, and yet you don’t pick him even when there is space in the middle order. Instead, you send two players who have never batted in those positions,” Chopra said.
December 01, 2025, 16:14 IST
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