Aakash Chopra emphasizes the critical role Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli must play with the bat for India to triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 showdown versus Bangladesh. The forthcoming clash between these Asian giants is slated for Saturday June 22 in North Sound Antigua.
Rohit Sharma has accumulated a total of 76 runs including an unbeaten 52 in the Men in Blues first match against Ireland averaging 25.33 over four innings. Meanwhile Virat Kohli has scraped together a mere 29 runs with a dismal average of 7.25 across his four hits.
In a YouTube video, Chopra stated both Rohit and Kohli must resume their run-scoring ways, underlining the Indian captain’s problems against left-arm pace since his half-century against Ireland.
“The openers need to score runs because they haven’t scored runs thus far. Rohit Sharma scored runs in one match but it seems like that was last year. It was a match against Ireland in New York. After that, left-arm pacers have troubled him, whether it’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saurabh Netravalkar or Fazalhaq Farooqi, to whom he got out in the last match.”
Aakash Chopra
The former India opener stated that Rohit, who could face Mustafizur Rahman in the Bangladesh game, has to get back on track before the knockout rounds.
“Mustafizur Rahman will come here. So he will have to play slightly cautiously. The captain has to score runs because when you reach the semi-final and final, and especially when you play on the dustbowl-like pitch in Guyana, you won’t be able to score runs with confidence if you are not in form. Then you will get caught out.”
Aakash Chopra
Chopra predicted that England may be India’s semi-final opponents, and that they will exploit Rohit’s weakness. He also suggested that England would deploy Sam Curran with the new ball against the Indian captain.
“He is a much better player than that” – Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli’s underwhelming numbers
According to Aakash Chopra, Virat Kohli has also failed to meet expectations in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
“Virat Kohli is there with him (Rohit). He has scored 29 runs in total in this entire tournament. He is a much better player than that, there is no doubt about that. It seemed like he wasn’t in rhythm at the start in the last match, and when he seemed to be regaining rhythm in an over, he got out.”
Aakash Chopra
The cricketer-turned-commentator also stated that India’s decision to open with their two most experienced players has not delivered significant results thus far.
“In my opinion, Virat Kohli needs to score runs because whatever applies to Rohit Sharma, exactly applies to Virat Kohli as well. You have started going with a new opening pair with the hope that they are the two most experienced Indian players but nothing has happened in that partnership thus far.”
Aakash Chopra
Conversely Chopra firmly upholds Indias unchanged opening partnership. He envisions Rohit and Kohli persisting at the top while the formidable pair of Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav follow suit in the batting sequence.
