Former India opener and cricket commentator Aakash Chopra has backed the selection of Vipraj Nigam in India A's squad for the upcoming three-match One-Day series against Australia A. He feels the spin-bowling all-rounder has plenty of potential and termed his inclusion one of the positive selections in the squad.
India A are set to face Australia A in a three-match One-day series in Puducherry, beginning October 6. Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the 15-member squad, with Devdutt Padikkal named his deputy.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra', the former cricketer praised the overall composition of the India A squad and highlighted several players who have earned their opportunities.
"The team is actually good. Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal is the vice-captain, and Ruturaj Gaikwad is the captain. So Rutu is finally getting what he deserves. Then you have got Rajat Patidar. Kumar Kushagra's name is in this team. He is coming after playing well," he said.
He then picked out Nigam as one of the players he is particularly excited to see in the squad.
"Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, I always felt this guy has something, Arshin Kulkarni, our Under-19 star who played for LSG as well, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, who was hitting fours and sixes in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 league, and Hardik Pandya has a star after his name, which means the clearance is subject to fitness," He added.
Chopra also praised the selectors for maintaining the quality of the India A squad despite a packed international calendar. India will also be involved in the Asian Games 2026 and a white-ball series against the West Indies around the same period.
"Prabhsimran Singh, Gurjapneet Singh, and Yash Thakur. A good One- day team has been picked, and I am thinking about how much cricket is happening. The Asian Games and the West Indies series will be happening alongside this. So India has to now get three different teams at the same time, but the quality has been maintained," He said.
Vipraj Nigam's credentials and selection
Vipraj Nigam has demonstrated consistent performance in List A cricket, taking 26 wickets at an economy rate of 5.63 across 21 matches. With the bat, Nigam has accumulated 164 runs at a strike rate of 105.12 in 11 List A innings, showcasing his value as a lower-order contributor. His selection reflects the team management's confidence in his all-round capabilities for the series.
Hardik Pandya's return to contention
Chopra also welcomed Hardik Pandya's inclusion in the India A squad, although he noted that the all-rounder still needs to receive fitness clearance before featuring in the series.
"Hardik Pandya is back. That's a good development because, at some stage, you want his name to come. Until when will he remain unfit, although there is still no guarantee whether he will play or not because this series is slightly late. It's not starting tomorrow or the day after," he further said.
Rajat Patidar's return to the India A setup also drew Chopra's approval. Patidar has featured in one ODI and accumulated 2,278 runs at a strike rate of 99.17 across 65 List A innings, demonstrating his domestic credentials.
"Rajat Patidar returning to the scheme of things is good news. Ruturaj Gaikwad becoming the captain- I think that's good news. It is actually a good balance. I feel this team is good," Chopra said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will lead the side, has played 9 ODIs with 228 runs and holds 1 century and 1 fifty at international level. In List A cricket, Gaikwad has amassed 5,334 runs with 21 centuries and 20 fifties across 104 matches.
