“I would like to see…” - Sunil Gavaskar opens up on two potential changes in Team India’s XI

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has opened up on Team India’s potential changes ahead of the much-awaited grand finale at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Gavaskar asserted that he would be dropping Abhishek Sharma for Rinku Singh, while he would also be keen to bring in the wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the struggling Varun Chakravarthy.

For the unversed, Sharma has amassed only 89 runs from seven innings at an average of 12.71 and a strike rate of 130.88 with a half-century in the ongoing mega event. Interestingly, his scores in the campaign read 0, 0, 0, 15, 55, 10, and 9.

Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy couldn’t create a major impact in the last four outings in the ongoing event, conceding a lot of runs despite emerging as the leading wicket-taker for the hosts, picking up 13 scalps from eight innings.

"It's a very tough call. Abhishek Sharma is the No. 1 batter in the ICC T20 rankings, but he hasn't learned from his dismissals. He keeps getting out in the same region where his arms are cramped for room. Bowlers are targeting that area and forcing mistakes. My concern is that he either hasn't adjusted yet or is unable to change his approach," Gavaskar told India Today.

"I would like to see Ishan Kishan open the batting with Sanju Samson, with Rinku Singh coming into the side. Rinku has that belief, you've probably seen the 'God's Plan' tattoo on his body, and sometimes things just work out for players like him," Gavaskar added.

"The other change I would consider is bringing in Kuldeep Yadav. Varun Chakravarthy's confidence looks shattered at the moment. Since the Super Eight stage, when he faced stronger teams, he has struggled and conceded a lot of runs. At a ground like the Narendra Modi Stadium, with big boundaries, Kuldeep Yadav could be a good option because he can turn the ball even on flat surfaces," Gavaskar concluded.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!