T20 World Cup 2022: "A failure is due" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's red-hot form ahead of India's clash against South Africa
Aakash Chopra believes that while Team India's star batter Virat Kohli has showcased tremendous form at T20 World Cup 2022, there could be a game where he might fail.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra raised concerns over India's batting lineup ahead of the Men in Blue's encounter against South Africa. He noted that while there is no guarantee of Kohli bailing the side out in every game, opening batters Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have also not scored runs consistently.
The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Suryakumar Yadav could also struggle against the Proteas pacers in Perth, highlighting that the conditions won't suit his natural game.
He explained:
"Virat Kohli is still unbeaten in the tournament, but a failure is due. There could be some trouble if he gets out early. Rohit Sharma has looked scratchy and KL Rahul hasn't scored runs till now.
"For Suryakumar Yadav, it won't be easy for him to play against rapid pace on that surface. Also, the kind of shots that he plays, the ground is too big for that."
Kohli has emerged as India's top performer with the bat in the tournament. He powered the side to a stunning four-wicket win over Pakistan with a splendid unbeaten 82-run knock. He followed it up with yet another inspired performance, remaining unbeaten on 62 in the ensuing fixture against the Netherlands.
Chopra suggested that South Africa have a slight edge over India, given that they have bowlers who can bowl at express pace. He noted that India don't have speedsters with, Mohammed Shami, who usually hits the 140 kmp mark, being their best bet. He added:
"The one thing that India don't have is extra pace. South Africa's pace battery comprises of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen.
"India, on the other hand, have just four fast bowlers. And out of them, I don't think Harshal Patel is going to get a chance. Mohammed Shami bowls close to 140 kph, but he isn't close to the 145 kph mark. Arshdeep is high 130s, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar is low 130s."
Rohit Sharma’s side will lock horns with South Africa in the 30th match of the ongoing showpiece event. The much-awaited clash will be played at the Perth Stadium on Sunday, October 30. The contest begins at 4:30 pm(IST).
"Going to be 10 vs 11 for South Africa against India" - Aakash Chopra on Temba Bavuma's dismal batting form
Chopra went on to say that the South African side would be bothered by skipper Temba Bavuma's poor form. The opening batter has received criticism from all corners for a string of poor performances.
The 45-year-old emphasized that apart from Bavuma, the other batters have performed admirably. He spoke about how Quinton de Kock has been in the form of his life and the presence of Rilee Rossouw and Aiden Markram has further strengthened their batting unit.
Chopra added:
"It's going to be 10 vs 11 for South Africa. Temba Bavuma is there, but hasn't done anything significant. Apart from him, everyone else has done really well.
"I can't remember when Quinton de Kock was in such red-hot form. They also have Rilee Rossouw and Aiden Markram. They have the required depth in their batting."
Temba Bavuma in the last 7 innings in T20I: 8(10), 8*(11), 0(4), 0(7), 3(8), 2*(2) & 2(6).
Notably, Bavuma has just four runs to his name from two matches at T20 World Cup 2022. South Africa are currently placed second in Group 2 with three points to their tally. India, who have a flawless record so far, are the table-toppers with four points.