Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has urged Afghanistan to bat more aggressively in the second T20I against India in Indore on Sunday, January 14. Afghanistan managed to score 158/5 after being asked to set a target in the first T20I in Mohali on Thursday. The Indian team chased down the score with six wickets and 15 balls to spare to start the three-match series on a winning note as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra added: “Afghanistan, what are you doing? If you have so much batting, why are your strike rates so low? Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a fantastic striker but in the last match, it seemed like both he and Ibrahim Zadran were playing at a run-a-ball. It seemed like neither of them wanted to take a chance.”

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The former India opener further added: “You associate fearless, carefree, explosive and destructive cricket with Afghanistan. However, if they play timid cricket and look a little meek, it’s not enjoyable. Gulbadin Naib didn’t even get to bat.”

However, Afghanistan scored only 33 runs in the powerplay overs despite losing a wicket. While Zadran scored 25 runs off 22 balls, Gurbaz was even slower, consuming 28 balls for his 23 runs as well. Aakash Chopra added that Afghanistan should add someone like Noor Ahmad in the playing XI.

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“If you have so much batting, play wholeheartedly and a little aggressive brand of cricket, or else play a bowler and drop a batter. If Gulbadin Naib is not going to get to bat, Noor Ahmad is sitting out, so play him. You have Fareed Ahmad also in bowling,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “You have bowlers. So either play an extra bowler or bat so aggressively that if you get to bat first, you score 200, and if India score 200, you should chase it as well. You will have to go with that thinking as a lot of runs are scored on this ground.”