Former India player Aakash Chopra has highlighted the importance of the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe for Ravi Bishnoi. He pointed out that the wrist-spinner was heavily criticized after being taken to the cleaners in his last T20I.
India will lock horns with Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series, with the first game to be played in Harare on Thursday, July 23. Bishnoi and Harsh Dubey are the two frontline spinners in the 15-member Indian squad.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that India haven’t picked spin-bowling all-rounders for the T20Is against Zimbabwe, pointing out the significance of the series for Bishnoi.
“The obsession we have had for spin-bowling all-rounders won’t be there in this series because Washington Sundar and Axar Patel aren’t there. So you don’t really have much. You have to play one of Ravi Bishnoi or Harsh Dubey. You might play both. You will play them because they are actually proper bowlers. They can take wickets for you,” Chopra said.
“This could be a slight redemption for Ravi Bishnoi because the last time he played for India, he bowled no-balls and conceded 29 runs in an over. India lost the match to England, and he was criticized a lot after that. So this could be a very important series for him,” he added.
Chopra reckoned that Dubey is potentially being groomed as a backup for Axar Patel, keeping Washington Sundar’s injury issues in mind.
“Harsh Dubey is getting chances because Washi gets injured so much. So, if Axar Patel isn’t there at any time, at least Harsh Dubey. So you are starting to look for more options in the bowling department,” he observed.
Ravi Bishnoi registered figures of 0/60 in four overs in India’s four-wicket loss in the second T20I against England in Manchester on July 4. Harsh Dubey has represented India in two ODIs but hasn’t played a T20I yet.
“We are unleashing pace” – Aakash Chopra on India’s seam attack for ZIM vs IND 2026 T20Is
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India have picked two express seamers in Ashok Sharma and Mayank Yadav for the T20I series against Zimbabwe.
“India have done a new thing for this series. We are unleashing pace. We have picked Ashok Sharma and Mayank Yadav. We are not going for medium pace now, although the ball moves a little in Zimbabwe, and that’s why this team (Zimbabwe) does well. It is a very decent bowling surface. So you go with seam at times, but we have picked pace here. We have picked an out-and-out pace battery,” he said.
While expressing his keenness to see how the visitors’ young bowling attack fares, the former India opener reckoned that Ashok and Mayank might play in tandem.
“One of the two might play, or both might play. Yash Thakur is also a part of this team. In fact, that’s the change that we have done. Batting is identical. The bowling is extremely young. So who among the young fast bowlers get opportunities and how they fare will be worth watching. We might actually go for Ashok and Mayank, pace from both ends, speeds of 150 kph. We can also try that,” Chopra observed.
Ashok Sharma, who has never played for India, has picked up 28 wickets at an economy rate of 9.83 in 16 T20s. Mayank Yadav has played three T20Is, accounting for four dismissals at an economy rate of 6.91.
Edited by Kartik Iyer