Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra feels Team India needs to be wary of New Zealand in their potential World Cup 2023 match in Dharamsala. The draft schedule for the 10-nation mega event was released recently as well where India are slated to begin their campaign against Australia in Chennai. And, a potential clash against New Zealand will take place in their fifth game in Dharamsala.
While previewing India’s schedule in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Clash against New Zealand in Dharamsala on October 22. The weather would have started becoming slightly cold but not fully. Bounce and pace on the pitch, New Zealand has been our Achilles heel, so this can be a slight problem. We have to be always wary of New Zealand and the Dharamsala ground might suit them. India will face Bangladesh on October 19 in Pune. Bangladesh are not pushovers. They are a decent team and I feel they will do okay in 50-over cricket. This is a team that can actually trouble you a little bit.”
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Chopra also added that team India should be more scared of Bangladesh than Afghanistan in the 50-over format as well. Aakash Chopra also believes that the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow is the best venue to host England as well.
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“We will be in front of England in Lucknow on October 29. There couldn’t have been a better venue than this to play England. Here you can play all spinners you would have selected, bowl a lot of spin and trap the opposing team. If you want to stop England’s batting might, there is no better ground than Ekana. However, there is a slight caveat here, they have already relaid the Ekana pitch. When it is a relaid pitch and there is three-four months’ time, how good it will be, it might still not be that good and become a turning pitch. This could actually be in India’s favor,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
