Former India opener Aakash Chopra has weighed in on the national side’s middle-order composition and recent leadership appointments. Sharing his analysis, Chopra addressed Devdutt Padikkal’s elevation to the crucial No. 3 position and scrutinised the rationale behind naming KL Rahul as vice-captain under the current regime.
Regarding Padikkal’s selection, Chopra insisted the left-hander earned his spot on merit rather than via a fast-tracked route. He highlighted the batter’s technical proficiency and the extensive grounding he received in first-class cricket prior to his Test call-up.
“It’s not horses for courses. A place had opened up, and he got a chance. He is a proper, proper player. He plays very well technically and has come here after going through the rigors of first-class cricket. It’s not like you have fast-tracked him. We had definitely fast-tracked Sai Sudharsan a little because it seemed like he was just the right guy for Test cricket,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
Chopra backs Padikkal as long-term Test prospect
Chopra expressed strong conviction that Padikkal represents a long-term investment for the Test side. He argued that the Karnataka batter’s playing style, backed by a mountain of domestic runs, indicates a tenure that could span years rather than matches.
“Padikkal’s playing style is also like that, and he is backing it up with a lot of runs. So this is not a short-term selection. In my opinion, Devdutt Padikkal could be here for a very, very long time. He will remain in the team if the next match goes well. The real test will be the two Tests in New Zealand, and then the five against Australia at home,” Chopra said.
Chopra questions the vice-captaincy appointment
Turning his attention to the leadership group, Chopra challenged the logic of appointing KL Rahul as deputy. He pointed out the significant age gap between the vice-captain and the skipper, suggesting the role traditionally belongs to a candidate of similar or younger vintage who represents the next generation of leadership.
“I am with you on this one. I have never thought from that perspective. You think about a vice-captain from what perspective? That he is next in line, that if the captain goes, the second one will come, but the second should either be of the same age or younger,” Chopra said.
“If you are making a vice-captain who is eight years older than the captain, as good as KL Rahul is, he is a good captaincy candidate, he has got a good cricketing brain, but he is not getting younger. If he is doing the vice-captaincy for a 26-year-old captain, he is not the next in line,” he concluded.
