Asia Cup: India face Sri Lanka next in a must-win game on Tuesday. Ahead of the match, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has suggested that India should replace Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing XI.
India lost their opening match of the Super-4 stage to Pakistan on Sunday. The thrilling Asia Cup game at the Dubai International Stadium went till the final over where the Babar Azam-led side won by 5 wickets. Posting 181 for 7 on the board in the stipulated 20 overs, India had a good chance of making it two in two against Pakistan in the ongoing continental event but Mohammad Rizwan’s 71 off 51 balls and Mohammad Nawaz’s crucial cameo of 42 off 20 balls took Pakistan home.
India face Sri Lanka next in a must-win game on Tuesday. Ahead of the match, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has suggested that the team management should replace Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing XI with Avesh Khan. Meanwhile, the former India opener suggested that the team should give young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi a “longer run”.
“Avesh (Khan) for (Yuzvendra) Chahal. Definitely continue with Ravi Bishnoi, he has done everything in this game. Chahal hasn’t bowled that well in this competition so probably it is time to give Bishnoi a longer run,” said Gambhir on Star Sports after the match against Pakistan on Sunday.
Bishnoi had returned figures of 1 for 26 in his four overs against Pakistan last week. Avesh was not a part of the squad in the Super-4 match, while Chahal returned figures of 1 for 43 in his four overs.
Notably, both Avesh and Chahal had played in India’s campaign opener against Pakistan on August 28. While Avesh conceded 19 runs for one wicket in two overs, Chahal gave 32 runs without any wicket in four overs.
In the second game that was against Hong Kong, Chahal returned figures of 0 for 18 in his four overs, while Avesh leaked 53 runs for one wicket in his four-over quota.
Aditya Kumar
