Hardik Pandya Should Be Utilised Better In The 2nd ODI, Says Aakash Chopra

Jul 20, 2021 at 1:41 PM

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Hardik Pandya Should Be Utilised Better In The 2nd ODI, Says Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra wants all-rounder Hardik Pandya to be utilized more effectively as a bowler in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. This was among the few wishes the cricketer-turned-commentator shared in a video on his YouTube channel.

Hardik Pandya bowled five overs in the first ODI of the series, two as a one-change bowler and three at the death. The all-rounder is returning from back and shoulder injuries and will hope to attain peak bowling fitness soon.

Hardik Pandya Image Source : GETTY
Hardik Pandya Image Source: GETTY

Aakash Chopra: Hardik Pandya Should Be Utilized Better And Deepak Chahar Should Bowl In The Last 4-5 Overs

Apart from wanting the junior Pandya to bowl a few additional overs, Aakash Chopra hopes Deepak Chahar is given a chance by the team to showcase his death-bowling skills. India used six bowling options with three of them, Deepak Chahar claiming two wickets for himself apart from Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav to mark a fine bowling performance in the 1st ODI.

“Hardik Pandya to be utilized better. He didn’t get to bowl at the right time in the last match. You need to bowl Deepak Chahar in the last 4-5 overs and bowl Hardik before that. You should try to get 7-8 overs from him. Then you will come to know if Hardik as a bowler is getting there.”

Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The former Indian opener also wished that the visitors get a chance to set a target.

“India should get to bat first. My greed is that if you get to bat first, you will get the full 50 overs, someone can score 100-150 runs and India can post a total of 325-330 runs. Our batsmen will get more time to express themselves.”

India chased down the 263-run target in less than 37 overs in the first ODI. They could post a massive score if they get to bat first and play in the same vein as they did in the last match.

Aakash Chopra: India Should Take Wickets With The New Ball

Aakash Chopra hopes India can strike blows with the new ball, which is an area they have been found wanting of late. He observed that India lacked penetration with the new ball. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was disappointed as he went wicketless and was punished for 63 runs in his nine wicketless overs.

“We should take wickets with the new ball. We can only improve when we admit our mistakes. Bumrah, Shami, Bhuvi, Deepak Chahar – we haven’t been picking wickets with the new ball, I want that to be changed.”

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Image Credit: Twitter)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Image Credit: Twitter)

The 43-year-old also wants India hopefuls like batsmen Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav to play substantial knocks in the second ODI.

“Whichever youngster, whether it is Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav, gets a start should make a big score. These small scores look good for a while but after some time you will forget that. The main team does not have vacant spots, so in such a case 100-150 are remembered.”

Aakash Chopra signed off by hoping that Sri Lanka plays better and makes it a more even contest. The weather may play spoilsport and if rain doesn’t occur, the fans would watch another entertaining match.

Shikhar Dhawan enjoyed a perfect captaincy debut for India against Sri Lanka in the first of their three ODIs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with his young and inexperienced team producing a performance that matched that of a world-dominating and seasoned outfit. India played as per the script and expectations to crush Sri Lanka by 7 wickets and more than 14 overs to spare, taking a 1-0 lead.

The architect of India’s commanding victory ― one that should particularly be noticed by Sri Lanka’s former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga for his bizarre comments before the series ― were youngsters in Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan, the captain himself, and the leg-spin bowling pair of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

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