Former cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra believes that Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will need to adapt their approach in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, considering the swinging conditions in England. The much-anticipated WTC final is scheduled to take place at The Oval in London from June 7 to 11. Chopra highlighted that while Rohit has a decent record in England, Gill has limited experience in these conditions. It’s worth noting that Rohit averages over 40 in England.
“Rohit Sharma has performed exceptionally well. In fact, he is the only batsman in the Indian team with an average above 40 in England. Shubman Gill hasn’t played many matches here. Rohit may not have been in great form, but Shubman is coming off good T20 form,” Aakash Chopra shared on his YouTube channel.
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Rohit has had notable success in England, accumulating 466 runs at an average of 42.36 in six Test matches. On the other hand, Gill has struggled, scoring only 57 runs at an average of 14.25 in his four innings on English soil.
Chopra further acknowledged the strong bowling attack of Australia, consisting of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Cameron Green. He emphasized that the English conditions would provide the Australian bowlers with an advantage over India.
“Both Rohit and Gill will need to make slight adjustments to their game plan because the ball tends to swing early on, there’s no doubt about that. Moreover, they will be up against the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Scott Boland, with Cameron Green providing additional support when needed. Australia possesses a formidable bowling attack for these conditions,” Aakash Chopra commented.
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Prior to the match, Rohit reportedly suffered a minor injury during a net session. While batting in the nets, he was hit on the left thumb. Rohit appeared to be in minimal discomfort and continued his practice without any significant issues. As a precautionary measure, he refrained from batting further. According to BCCI sources, there is no cause for concern regarding his fitness ahead of the WTC final.