Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has picked Aaron Jones as one of the key players for the USA for their 2024 T20 World Cup clash against India. He also added that the middle-order batter’s stunning knock against Canada was worth watching.
The USA, who are second in Group A, will play against India in New York on Wednesday, June 12 as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “You will find Steven Taylor opening. He is actually this team’s strongest player. You would remember the catch he took off (Mohammad) Rizwan but he is a very good batter, a very reliable batter. Over the years, he has been their best player. Then you will see Monank Patel. He is actually batting extremely well. The way he hit Shaheen (Shah Afridi) straight, Monank Patel looked very composed and a very solid batter. After that, Aaron Jones. If you didn’t see the Canada innings, watch it, the amazing sixes he hit.”
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However, Aakash Chopra also added that Jones’ big-hitting ability, which he showed against Canada, could come in handy in New York. Jones smashed 10 sixes in his unbeaten 94 off just 40 deliveries in the USA’s seven-wicket win against Canada as well. He also scored an unbeaten 36 off 26 balls against Pakistan. Aakash Chopra also shared the USA are not using Corey Anderson effectively.
“The match was tilting in favor of Canada but after that the sixes Aaron Jones hit. He is a six-hitter and players who hit fours are anyway not successful on this ground because it is a sand-based ground and fours are not getting hit at all. So that is a bit of an issue. They are not using Corey Anderson well. I am slightly surprised about that. Corey Anderson is a good player. He bowls and bats. He was doing extremely well until the last series but, I don’t know why, the team has deserted him slightly. They neither used him in the Super Over nor before that,” he again shared.
“I think he could be a threat against India because when you have left-arm spin from both ends, you can send him in the middle and try to accelerate because a 120 to 135-run match is so short that if you get a 22 to 28-run knock in which you hit three sixes, it could be a knock that makes it game, set and match,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
