Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra was left surprised with India’s decision to play one seamer in the fourth T20I against England in Pune. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side made three changes to their playing XI, as Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube made their way back. Mohammed Shami, who played the third T20I in Rajkot was once again benched along with Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar.
Chopra felt that the team should have backed Shami for the match. He mentioned that a team can play two proper pacers on any ground and highlighted that the likes of Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy can’t fill the role of a second seamer.
“From the team I had picked yesterday, there was only one change. I am still screaming, it's said that we should never blow our own trumpet, but you should have played two fast bowlers. I had kept Mohammed Shami in my team. They kept Mohammed Shami out,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“Of course, you want to attack with spin, but I am clearly saying repeatedly that in white-ball cricket, there is no ground across the world where you can't play two fast bowlers. Game plans aside, there is no pitch where you can say that one fast bowler is enough, and will get Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube or Nitish Reddy to bowl as the second seamer,” he added.
India ended up using an extra seamer in Harshit Rana. He replaced Dube, who was ruled out of the second T20I following a concussion. The Delhi pacer was highly effective in the match, picking up three wickets in the middle overs. He helped India clinch a 15-run win and eventually take a 3-1 lead in the series. With him being present, Pandya bowled only one over in the match.