Former India opener turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that it is difficult to fathom the reason behind Virat Kohli’s current form and how he can regain his old form as well. Kohli could manage only 18 runs off 30 deliveries in the second ODI against West Indies before nicking a delivery from Odean Smith to Shai Hope behind the stumps.
While reflecting on his dismissal in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “What is happening with Virat, he didn’t score runs again, I mean I’m not able to understand it – how do you? Obviously, he pays a huge price for his own success because you compare him with his standard but at the moment, you are not measuring him with someone else’s yardstick but the normal yardstick.”
Chopra elaborated: “It’s just not happening, it’s not happening at this point in time. He was in a hurry in the last match but here he was playing properly, coming in line, played a good cut and drive as well. Then one ball comes from Odean Smith and he remains slightly back, the ball takes the outside edge and goes.”
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However, Virat Kohli was more restrained in the match compared to the first ODI. He did hit three boundaries but was conservative in his approach as well. Aakash Chopra further added that Kohli is going through a poor run as all great cricketers do.
He said: “This is probably the sign of greatness that you go through spells, there is a time when the runs are not scored. He is going through that patch. I stand with Virat Kohli. I am saying if not now, after a few days, it doesn’t matter if the runs are not coming at this moment. At some stage, he is going to fire, there is no doubt about it.”
Aakash Chopra, however, lauded Prasidh Krishna for his outstanding spell in the second ODI between Team India and West Indies and he has picked him as his Player of the Match as well. He was duly chosen as the official Player of the Match for his stunning spell of 4/12 in nine overs. He also helped Team India defend a below-par score of 237 runs as they bundled out the Windies for 193 as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “This Krishna is getting Prasidh, his reputation is spreading in all directions. My Player of the Match is Prasidh Krishna. Long time ago when I saw him playing for the first time, I realized the guy is fantastic. He has something which either you have or you don’t. Either you are 6.25 to 6.5 feet tall or not, you have such a good high arm action or not, you have that pace and bounce or not. He had all of that, that’s how he started.”
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Aakash Chopra again stated: “The maturity is being seen. He has been absolutely phenomenal in the last six to ten months. He was given a different challenge this time, Rohit told him to bowl with a slightly older ball, in slight dew, he took wickets there and is taking wickets in the death overs.”
Prasidh Krishna has claimed 15 wickets in the six ODIs he has played so far. Wednesday’s spell was also his best effort in international cricket till date.
“If you do man-to-man marking with Siraj, he is going slightly ahead than Siraj because a slightly better game sense is seen in white-ball cricket and is a better bowler at the death. The more I see him, my heart says that he will play well in Tests also,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
