Former India opener turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has picked Ravi Bishnoi as his Player of the Match for the first T20I between Team India and the West Indies. With Washington Sundar and Axar Patel both ruled out of the entire series, Bishnoi made his debut. And, he used the opportunity quite well to showcase his potential on the international stage.

While reviewing the first T20I in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “Tere jaisa na koi, Ravi Bishnoi, milega na koi. I was extremely happy because he gave only 17 runs in his four overs and picked up two wickets. There was not too much dew but a little was there. The way he bowls, he looks slightly Rashid Khan-lite to me, no offense. His action is exactly like him, quick-arm action, a high-arm action because of which he bowls a very good googly.”

However, Ravi Bishnoi removed Roston Chase and Rovman Powell in the first T20I against the West Indies. While the former was trapped in front of the stump with a googly, the latter was caught at long-on while going for a big shot as well. And, Aakash Chopra opened up on the Windies batters’ inability to pick his googlies.

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He observed: “I was surprised that the West Indies batters, it was evident from the hand that a googly was going to come, but they are unable to play it. They are playing down the wrong line, he snared not one but two wickets. He bowled six wides but despite that, he gave only 17 runs in four overs.”

“He is a kid from Rajasthan, so I like him a lot in any case. He came to Jodhpur and made the pitch with his own hands, put in a lot of effort. The hard work has paid dividends and the heart is gladdened when such a thing happens. So my player of the day has to be Ravi Bishnoi,” Aakash Chopra shared.

He had also opined on Kohli’s dismissal. He said: “Virat Kohli did not score runs again and the way he is getting out, that’s very unlike him. We are doing very little conversation about Virat Kohli, which is never a good thing. We are not even talking about him, that is hurting me, that must be hurting him. A good player’s recognizance is that his name is written with prominence in any report card, it is his story even on the day when he fails because 40 for Kohli is a failure, 40 for Aakash is a success.”

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Aakash Chopra also stated that Virat Kohli is losing his greatest virtue in recent times. He also believed his approach is a matter of concern for them as well.

“The way Kohli got out, discipline was making him the greatest batter on the planet, what would have happened if that shot had gone for a six? Nothing would have happened, you wouldn’t have won the match because of that six. But when you get out, the team is also stuck slightly. Virat Kohli never used to do like this earlier, that if a six is not required, he never used to hit it and scored through singles or fours. He was risk-averse, that he will not play the risky shots at all. That is what Virat was all about but now he is not playing like that and that is a bit of a concern,” Aakash Chopra concluded.