Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that the current New Zealand side is not as formidable as they used to trouble India in past World Cups. However, India will lock horns with New Zealand in the first semi-final of the 2023 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15. And, India will want to avenge their loss from the last edition of the tournament when they play against Kane Williamson & Co. as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “The semi-final line-up is ready now. India are going to play New Zealand, and New Zealand have slightly been a bogey team for us. They trouble us a lot but thankfully we have broken that jinx. This New Zealand is not looking like the same team that used to trouble us because the bowling is looking weak. They generally don’t have a bowling like this. They bowl better than this.”

READ MORE: Virat Kohli shares the importance of maintaining diet

Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner, with 16 scalps, is New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup. Trent Boult (13) and Matt Henry (11) are their other most successful bowlers as well, but the latter has been ruled out of the tournament because of a torn right hamstring as well. While talking about Trent Boult’s reduced effectiveness, Aakash Chopra believes this Kiwi attack as a big threat for India as well.

“Although Trent Boult picked up wickets in the last match, he had not been great in the entire tournament before that. Even if they play Tim Southee, not the same bowler. Lockie Ferguson is very decent but then Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra or Daryl Mitchell,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “There is no doubt that they know how to trouble others but will they be able to do that? I don’t know. It will be a good match. It will be at the Wankhede, the conditions might suit them, but India are a phenomenal team.”