Aakash Chopra has applauded Kuldeep Yadav for being India’s main wicket-taker in their first two Asia Cup 2023 Super Four games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively. However, Kuldeep picked up 5/25 in eight overs as India thrashed Pakistan by 228 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday, September 11 as well. He followed that up with a stunning 4/43 in 9.3 overs at the same venue a day later as India beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs to book their spot in the final as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “The good thing about the Indian team is that they are not over-dependent on their spinners, although Kuldeep Yadav, what a bowler he is. Five wickets in one match and four in the next. He has taken nine wickets in total although India have taken only 18 wickets in these two matches overall. So 50% of the wickets have been taken by just one man. He has bowled superbly.”
However, Aakash Chopra also praised Jasprit Bumrah for doing well against the Sri Lankan team as well.
READ MORE: “Can be the future captain of India” – Kiran More on Ruturaj Gaikwad
“Bumrah started it. He picked up two wickets. This is why we say Jassi jaisa koi nahin. He is a mighty bowler. It seemed like this pitch had slightly less help (for the seamers) compared to the Pakistan game because this pitch was extremely dry. In such a case, for him to take two wickets at the start and Mohammed Siraj to pick up a wicket, you had taken three wickets and said tata bye-bye to the top three. If you have bid goodbye to Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis, you have already broken the opposing team’s back slightly.”
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra also feels Ishan Kishan’s tendency to play too many dot balls can go against him as a middle-order batter. Kishan scored 33 runs off 61 deliveries against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday, September 12. Kishan hit a six and a four but managed only 23 runs off the other 59 balls as well.
READ MORE: Virat Kohli shares the importance of maintaining diet
He stated: “Ishan Kishan did not get out to Dunith Wellalage. He was batting alright, although one thing is going to go against Ishan Kishan. He was sent at No. 4, made to bat slightly up the order, as the left-arm spinner was bowling well, which makes a lot of sense. Irfan Pathan was also talking about it on commentary that he is unable to take that many singles. He was playing too many dot balls and this was when you got to bat in the first 20 overs, although the pitch was slightly slow.”
“The pitch was slow because the square is the same even though the pitch might be new. You couldn’t roll the pitch after watering it. So it becomes a spinner’s paradise and we saw that, but Ishan Kishan’s ability to rotate strike was a question and it will remain a question mark. KL Rahul looked the most comfortable till the time he was batting. He uses his feet against the spinners and plays the sweep as well. I mean he has got that kind of ability and because of that he validated once again why you want him to be a part of the team in the middle order,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
