"Virat Kohli's team have started their campaign to be the world champions" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra believes Team India have tread on the path of becoming the world champions after registering a win in the fourth Test against England.
The Virat Kohli-led side thrashed the hosts by 157 runs to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series. They triggered a great turnaround on the final day when the match seemed to be heading towards a draw.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Team India had overcome the odds while winning the Oval Test. He explained:
"India were 127/7, who had thought India will win. When they had given a lead of 99 runs, who had thought that India will win. You needed ten wickets on the final day with the pitch flat as a road, who had thought again that India will win. But this is a champion team. Remember that examples are not forgotten and examples will be given of this team because Virat Kohli's team have started their campaign to be the world champions."
The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that an Indian team had won a Test at the Oval after half a century. Aakash Chopra observed:
"We are totally impressed because India have added another historic win to their name. They had won at Lord's, lost in Headingley but have captured the Oval, they have won a Test match there after 50 years."
India last defeated England at the Oval in 1971, which was also their first Test win on English soil. The win also helped the Ajit Wadekar-led side emerge 1-0 victors in the series.
"The heart says to get obsessed with this team" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra added that Team India have shown that overseas wins are no longer a flash in the pan. He elaborated:
"When you see this team, the heart says to get obsessed with them. The performances they are giving and demolishing the teams one after the other, this is the team which has defeated Australia twice in their backyard."
The 43-year-old signed off by predicting that the Indian team will put it across England in the final Test at Manchester as well. Aakash Chopra said:
"Now, this is the team that cannot lose this series from here. I feel they will come back after winning the series 3-1 if rain does not come for England's aid at Old Trafford."
Team India will certainly go into the Old Trafford Test as the favorites. They will hope that Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara, who stitched together a crucial partnership in the second innings at the Oval, are fit and available for the encounter.