Amid the ongoing T20 World Cup 2025, former India opener Aakash Chopra has revealed India’s all-time T20I superstar, and it is not Suryakumar Yadav or Yuvraj Singh.
Yuvraj Singh dominates among India’s T-20 greats
In the latest series of rapid-fire rounds on ESPN Cricinfo, when asked to pick the best in a head-to-head battle between the legends and the modern stars, Chopra picked the Indian stars based on their impact, consistency and ability to shine in difficult situations in T20I cricket.
Cricket pundits have picked legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh over the likes of Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan, highlighting the two-time World Cup winner’s match-winning abilities in this format.
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Suryakumar Yadav was selected in place of MS Dhoni!!
Yuvraj’s knack for hitting big shots and his ability to finish games under pressure made him Chopra’s top choice in many matches. Then came former Indian captain MS Dhoni, whose calmness, finishing skills and experience saw Chopra beat Yuvraj.
Dhoni’s influence as both captain and finisher and wicketkeeper is undeniable. He consistently performed well in difficult circumstances. After this Chopra moved towards modern stars. In a clash of contemporary talents, Suryakumar Yadav emerged ahead of Dhoni, showcasing his explosive batting and ability to turn a game in a matter of a few overs in the shortest format of the game.
Chopra calls Virat Kohli India’s best T20I batsman of all time
The India T20 captain’s innovative shot making made him everyone’s favourite. Furthermore, Chopra gave Hardik Pandya an edge over KL Rahul and even Dhoni, praising his all-round abilities and stellar performances in the format. Chopra called Hardik a “clutch player”.
The former Indian batsman also acknowledged Rohit Sharma’s consistency and Virat Kohli’s dominance, but ultimately crowned the Delhi man as India’s best T20I batsman ever. Kohli’s many match-winning innings for India make him a legend in the shortest format.
Watch till the end to know who is India’s best T20I batsman of all time according to Aakash Chopra pic.twitter.com/free2G9SK6
– ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) 15 February 2026
Aakash Chopra shares secret plan to trap Sahibzada Farhan
Earlier, Aakash Chopra shared a smart strategy for the Men in Blue ahead of the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.
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Chopra said Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has been in excellent form in the tournament, scoring 120 runs at a strike rate of 166.67 in just two innings.
But Chopra saw a major weakness in Farhan, saying he rarely scored on the off side between cover and third man, so he advised the Indian bowlers to block that area, create pressure and force Farhan to take risks elsewhere in the high-voltage game.
Point and third-man areas: Sahibzada’s weakness
Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “Let’s see how you can trap Sahibzada Farhan. There is no doubt that Sahibzada Farhan hits sixes. However, what is hidden is where the ball was bowled while he was absolutely calm. He remains calm against everyone in that area. He makes a solid base, opens his body a bit and hits it very well on the leg side.”
He further added, “So where should you bowl to him? The game plan for him would be one where he doesn’t score runs at all. He doesn’t score runs in the point and third-man area. He neither plays the drive towards cover nor plays the cut that well. Whoever has bowled in that channel has been absolutely calm. So, you really need him to bowl there, a bit wide.”