Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has highlighted India’s biggest concern heading into the first Test against South Africa. Ther Test match starts in Centurion from December 26. India lost 2-1 in their last tour back in 2918. Former Indian cricketers are seeing this as their best chance to win a Test series in South Africa.
While previewing the India-South Africa Test series in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was apprehensive about the Indian batting unit. Rohit Sharma is ruled out from the series with the Indian middle-order not in the best of form at the moment.
“We have the key performers from last time – Shami and Bumrah. Now you have Siraj also and Virat as well. But I see slight problems in the batting. India is struggling a little at the moment in the batting, that’s my biggest worry.”
“We don’t have Axar, Jadeja and Rohit too. So the batting looks a little weak. Rahane does not have the form, so there is a slight problem there. Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t been very consistent.”
Since 2020, the Indian middle-order of Kohli, Pujara and Rahane have struggled to score runs. Rahane is the only one to score a ton in this time. He scored a memorable ton in Melbourne to help India win the Test match against Australia.
Middle-Order A Concern For India: Aakash Chopra
Test batting averages since 1st January 2020. #Cricket
31.32 – Dom Sibley
29.44 – Zak Crawley
28.00 – Rory Burns
27.38 – Cheteshwar Pujara
26.04 – Virat Kohli
24.39 – Ajinkya Rahane— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) December 20, 2021
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra has suggested the team to go in with six proper batsmen along with Rishabh Pant at number seven. Like Wasim Jaffer, he too has backed the team to play an extra batsman in the lineup.
“I will say go with six batters and Pant at No.7. Four bowlers – that should be enough. You want to take wickets but the opposing team’s batting is weak, so will probably not need five bowlers for that.”
In terms of the bowling lineup, he has suggested the side to pick three pacers and a specialist spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin. By Chopra’s analysis, Shardul Thakur batting at number seven is too high a position for him in the batting order. Thus he has chosen Mohammed Siraj over Thakur Mohammed Shami and Japrit Bumrah as the two leading pacers.
“Go with one spinner and three fast bowlers and see what happens because you don’t have all-rounders. Jaddu is not there and Shardul as a fourth seamer and No.7 batter – a little too high according to me” concluded Chopra.
