Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has made his predictions for the upcoming Test between India and New Zealand, which will take place in Kanpur from Thursday.
Both India and New Zealand won’t have a few of their key players where the host will be without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami. While KL Rahul has been ruled out due to an injury, others have been rested. However, Kohli will return for the second Test.
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While making his predictions for the first Test in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will contribute more than the two openers.
“Pujara and Rahane will together score more runs than the Indian openers. There was pressure on Pujara also but he redeemed himself after the second innings in Leeds, which was very good. Both openers are also going to be new,” Chopra said.
Kane Williamson and Tom Latham will do well for New Zealand – Aakash Chopra
He also hopes Kane Williamson and Tom Latham to do well with the bat for the Black Caps. They are the two experienced players in their batting lineup as well. Aakash Chopra predicted:
“Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, both are good players against spin, I feel the two of them together will score more than 125 runs in this match. I believe the Indian spinners, however many play, will definitely take more than ten wickets. India has to take twenty wickets in all – I feel 10, 11, 12 or 13 might go in the spinners’ account.”
Meanwhile, the veteran believes India will win the match against New Zealand. Notably, New Zealand last won a Test match in India way back in 1988, although they beat India in the World Test Championship final this year only.
“And I am saying that India will win this match,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
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