Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra said that India will try to level the series in the second ODI and won’t make the final match of the three-match ODI series a dead rubber at Chattogram on Saturday, December 10. Notably, India lost the first game in Mirpur on Sunday by one wicket.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra shared his prediction that India will win in the second ODI. He also hoped for some contributions from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul with the bat as well.
“I am going with India to win, fingers crossed, toes crossed because we don’t want the last match to be a dead rubber. If we fall behind Bangladesh 2-0 and the series is over in the second match, we will not be able to digest that. Kohli and Rahul will together score more than 50 runs. I am not saying that Kohli will do that alone although he is in good form and might do that. But these are tough batting conditions – so one good ball, one bad shot, one wrong decision or a good catch – those things do happen,” Aakash Chopra said.
It is also noteworthy that, KL Rahul top-scored with a 70-ball 73 in the first ODI. Meanwhile, Kohli could only manage nine runs before Shakib Al Hasan removed him. He also expects Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to do well with the ball. He added:
“I feel Shakib and Mehidy will together pick up three or more wickets” – Aakash Chopra
“I feel Shakib and Mehidy will together pick up three or more wickets, they might take four as well. If the pitch is a used surface, it will become even slower. Even if it is new, not many runs are scored in Shere Bangla, it is generally a 240 to 250-run match, and there is help for the spinners.”
He also said that Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj will be among the wickets for India. While Axar Patel wasn’t a part of the first ODI owing to a bruised rib, Siraj and Sundar picked up five wickets between them as well.
“Axar, Sundar and Siraj will together pick up six or more wickets, that’s what I am thinking. Siraj – he is flying under the radar but he is consistently performing well. Sundar should bowl his 10 overs. Axar – if he also bowls his 10 overs, you know the form he had sometime back on these pitches. He has been brilliant,” Aakash Chopra signed off.
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