'Why not play him?': Ex-India cricketer calls for big change in 4th T20I vs New Zealand
toi
newspoint|29-10-2026
NEW DELHI: India have already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. With the series decided, former India opener Aakash Chopra wants the team management to give another opportunity to Mayank Yadav in the fourth T20I.
Chopra believes Mayank should replace Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI for the match in Auckland on Friday, October 30. He also wants Prince Yadav to retain his place in the team.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra’, the former cricketer said India should use the remaining matches to give opportunities to young players.
Chopra wants Mayank to replace Arshdeep
Chopra believes India can make one change to their playing XI for the fourth T20I. He wants Arshdeep to be rested and Mayank to return to the side.
"There is scope for one change for sure. Ask Arshdeep Singh to rest. Play both Mayank and Prince because you give chances to youngsters in dead rubbers. Mayank actually bowled well in the first match. So., why not play him? I am advocating for that one change," he said.
Mayank played only the first T20I of the series, taking 1/40 in his four overs. Chopra believes the young fast bowler deserves another chance, especially with India having already won the series.
The former opener also backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to play all five matches, despite the senior pacer's struggles in the first three games.
"I won't talk about playing spin here because there is actually no help for spinners here. You have to bowl short balls and make the batters access the side boundaries. The spinners can't do that job. The fast bowlers can do that job. It might not be going well for Bhuvi, but he should be played all five games," he observed.
Bhuvneshwar has taken one wicket in the first three T20Is and has an economy rate of 11.58. Chopra, however, feels the experienced seamer should continue to get opportunities.
‘If Ishan Kishan is available, he has to walk into the team’
Chopra also discussed the possibility of Ishan Kishan returning to the playing XI if he is fit and available. However, he admitted that bringing the wicketkeeper-batter back into the side would create a selection challenge.
The former India player suggested that the team might need to rotate its four top-order batters to accommodate everyone.
"If Ishan Kishan is available, he has to walk into the team. If he comes, who will go out? It is not an easy decision. You may be the best player on the planet, but since we have to accommodate Vaibhav Suryavanshi and we want to keep all four together, I think you will have to take the support of rotation," he said.
Kishan's return would leave the team management with a difficult decision about who should make way. Chopra pointed out that dropping either Shreyas Iyer or Tilak Varma would not be an easy call.
Chopra questions calls to drop Shreyas or Tilak
Some fans have suggested dropping Shreyas or Tilak to make room for the other top-order batters. Chopra disagreed with that approach, pointing to Tilak's contribution in India's recent win and asking why Shreyas should be dropped after just two poor matches.
"Someone said Shreyas should be dropped. Someone wrote below that Tilak should be dropped. I said, 'Don't you watch the match.' Tilak Varma won the match just now. How will you drop Tilak Varma? Shreyas Iyer had two bad matches, and you are saying he should be dropped," Chopra observed.
Chopra admitted that he did not have a clear answer to the selection question. He said Shreyas and head coach Gautam Gambhir would have to make the final decision.
The fourth T20I in Auckland will give India an opportunity to test their options before the final match of the series. With the trophy already secured, the team management could use the remaining games to assess its bench strength and manage the workload of its regular players.
Chopra believes Mayank should replace Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI for the match in Auckland on Friday, October 30. He also wants Prince Yadav to retain his place in the team.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra’, the former cricketer said India should use the remaining matches to give opportunities to young players.
Chopra wants Mayank to replace Arshdeep
Chopra believes India can make one change to their playing XI for the fourth T20I. He wants Arshdeep to be rested and Mayank to return to the side.
"There is scope for one change for sure. Ask Arshdeep Singh to rest. Play both Mayank and Prince because you give chances to youngsters in dead rubbers. Mayank actually bowled well in the first match. So., why not play him? I am advocating for that one change," he said.
Mayank played only the first T20I of the series, taking 1/40 in his four overs. Chopra believes the young fast bowler deserves another chance, especially with India having already won the series.
The former opener also backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to play all five matches, despite the senior pacer's struggles in the first three games.
"I won't talk about playing spin here because there is actually no help for spinners here. You have to bowl short balls and make the batters access the side boundaries. The spinners can't do that job. The fast bowlers can do that job. It might not be going well for Bhuvi, but he should be played all five games," he observed.
Bhuvneshwar has taken one wicket in the first three T20Is and has an economy rate of 11.58. Chopra, however, feels the experienced seamer should continue to get opportunities.
‘If Ishan Kishan is available, he has to walk into the team’
Chopra also discussed the possibility of Ishan Kishan returning to the playing XI if he is fit and available. However, he admitted that bringing the wicketkeeper-batter back into the side would create a selection challenge.
The former India player suggested that the team might need to rotate its four top-order batters to accommodate everyone.
"If Ishan Kishan is available, he has to walk into the team. If he comes, who will go out? It is not an easy decision. You may be the best player on the planet, but since we have to accommodate Vaibhav Suryavanshi and we want to keep all four together, I think you will have to take the support of rotation," he said.
Kishan's return would leave the team management with a difficult decision about who should make way. Chopra pointed out that dropping either Shreyas Iyer or Tilak Varma would not be an easy call.
Chopra questions calls to drop Shreyas or Tilak
Some fans have suggested dropping Shreyas or Tilak to make room for the other top-order batters. Chopra disagreed with that approach, pointing to Tilak's contribution in India's recent win and asking why Shreyas should be dropped after just two poor matches.
"Someone said Shreyas should be dropped. Someone wrote below that Tilak should be dropped. I said, 'Don't you watch the match.' Tilak Varma won the match just now. How will you drop Tilak Varma? Shreyas Iyer had two bad matches, and you are saying he should be dropped," Chopra observed.
Chopra admitted that he did not have a clear answer to the selection question. He said Shreyas and head coach Gautam Gambhir would have to make the final decision.
The fourth T20I in Auckland will give India an opportunity to test their options before the final match of the series. With the trophy already secured, the team management could use the remaining games to assess its bench strength and manage the workload of its regular players.
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