Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has added that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have faced a poor 2024 T20 World Cup as well. The former India batter also asked the opening duo to play crucial knocks in India’s Super 8 clash against Australia. The two teams will play against each other in their final Group 1 game in Saint Lucia on Monday, June 24. Rohit and Kohli have scored 99 and 66 runs at averages of 24.75 and 13.20, respectively, in five innings each so far as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “The captain and our other opener Virat Kohli’s form looks good now. The ball has started hitting the middle of the bat, although if we look at it based on their standards, it’s been a very cold World Cup for both of them. So I am expecting them to play slightly longer knocks. Rishabh Pant is looking good. Don’t play the reverse sweep and definitely not against Zampa. It won’t make a difference if we leave one or two balls. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube now look in good form. So those things are looking very, very good.”
However, he also advised Rishabh Pant to refrain from playing the reserve sweep, especially against Adam Zampa as well. Notably, Pant (152) is India’s leading run-scorer in the 2024 T20 World Cup. While Hardik Pandya smashed an unbeaten 50 off 27 balls, Shivam Dube. Aakash Chopra also picked Ravindra Jadeja’s indifferent form as a concern area for India as well.
“However, there is one thing on my mind. That is Ravindra Jadeja’s personal form, although if you check against Australia and Maxwell, you will find that his numbers have been very good. With the ball, he has been very, very good. So you expect him to do well but thus far he has been bowling too fast and too short, and such balls get hit. Travis Head has had problems against left-armers. I feel he will have a lot of issues if he comes to bat second. So I am thinking no changes whatsoever. You should go with the same team. Rohit, just win the toss and bat first, reach around 170, pack Australia’s bags here itself, and send them home,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
