Former India opener wants Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma back in the 3rd ODI against WI

The Indian cricket team management rested skipper Rohit Sharma and main batsman Virat Kohli, to let other young players showcase their talent. However, the decision backfired and the Hardik Pandya-led side suffered a disappointing six-wicket loss in the second ODI played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The three-match ODI series is now levelled at 1-1. 

3 things you need to know 

• Team India was bundled for a score of 181 runs in their first innings of the second ODI 
• Ishan Kishan scored back-to-back half-centuries for Team India 
• The third ODI will be played in Tarouba, Trinidad on August 1, 2023 

Aakash Chopra wants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the third ODI 

(Team India skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the T20 World Cup 2022 / Image: AP) 

Former Indian cricket team opener Aakash Chopra wants the Indian team management to bring back skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the third ODI against West Indies. The former opener believes that the Indian team management can experiment if they want to, but if the principal goal was to win the series, then they must bring back the team's top batsmen. Chopra said on Jio Cinema: 

If you were to look at the series for experiments, why stop? If you’re going in with the philosophy that ‘I am going to try a lot of cricketers, I’m going to give chances to the players who haven’t gotten enough game time.’ Why change? You’ve done it in the first game, you’ve done it in the second game. Just give more opportunities to the players who haven’t gotten enough in the past. 

Aakash Chopra opens up on the conditions of the third ODI match 

India has a lot of bowling options. With regards to fast bowlers, they have four. They played as many as three in the previous game. You don’t need seven options to play in an ODI on a surface that’s bowler-friendly. 

The Indian cricket team has dominated the West Indies cricket tour so far and has played like champions. However, ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023, the team management wanted to try and give a chance to every other player to find out the right combination for the upcoming major event.