'I always felt this guy has something' - Aakash Chopra backs Vipraj Nigam's India A selection

India A Squad vs Australia A: Chopra Nails the Selections, Two Names to Watch

Aakash Chopra isn't mincing words on the new India A squad for the 3-match ODI series against Australia A (Puducherry, from Oct 6), and honestly, he's right to be bullish. Ruturaj Gaikwad finally gets the armband he's been crying out for, with Devdutt Padikkal as vice-captain. The man's List A record is elite—5,334 runs, 21 tons, 20 fifties. That's a proven run-builder, not a hype candidate.

The Pick That Stands Out: Vipraj Nigam

Chopra flagged one name specifically: "I always felt this guy has something." Nigam's a spin-bowl AR with legit numbers—26 wickets at 5.63 econ in List A, plus a 105 SR down the order. That's exactly the profile you want in a middle-order allrounder: economy with the ball, urgency with the bat. Not flash, but efficient. In a squad this stacked, efficiency wins.

The Fitness Wildcard: Hardik Pandya

Hardik's back in the fold, but with a asterisk. Star next to his name = fitness clearance pending. Chopra's point is fair—it's not a quick-turnaround series, so there's time to get him match-fit. Worth tracking; if he clears, he's a genuine game-changer for the middle order.

Selector's Masterclass

The real story here is depth management. India's juggling Asian Games 2026, a WI whiteball series, AND this Australia A trip—all overlapping. Getting three competitive squads from one pool while keeping quality intact? That's selectoral jujitsu. Names like Rajat Patidar (returning, 2,278 List A runs) and Kumar Kushagra (in-form) show the bench strength.

Bottom Line: Solid squad, smart captaincy call, and Nigam is the sleeper value pick. If Hardik clears fitness, this becomes a seriously deep unit.

Source: Crictracker