"This was a great opportunity" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli being likely to miss the 1st India vs England ODI
Aakash Chopra feels Virat Kohli will lose a great opportunity if he misses the first ODI between Team India and England.
The first game of the three-match ODI series will be played at The Oval on Tuesday, July 12. Reports have suggested that Kohli could miss the game due to a groin injury sustained in the final T20I between the two sides.
Virat Kohli did not come for optional practice today ahead of the first ODI match at Kennington Oval. He has a suspected groin injury and is unlikely to play the first ODI against England: BCCI sources
Previewing the game in a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the ODIs against England were a great chance for Kohli to regain his form, saying:
"The big news is that Virat Kohli will probably not be available for this match, he has not reached the Oval ground, he might not play. Is it a big miss? I am not thinking from the team's perspective but for Kohli. Personally, I was feeling this was a great opportunity."
The former Indian opener highlighted that the ODI format would have been right up Kohli's alley. Aakash Chopra explained:
"This format was perhaps the best chance to get back into form because you can play a long innings. No one tries to get you out after the first few overs, you keep driving the game at 5.5-6 runs per over and no one bothers."
He added:
"There are slips in Tests, you are asked very tough questions. There is scoreboard pressure and the team's tempo's pressure in T20s, there is nothing in ODIs."
Kohli enjoys an exceptional record in ODI cricket, having amassed 12311 runs at an outstanding average of 58.07. The 50-over game is probably the former Indian skipper's best chance to regain his run-scoring mojo.
"This is going to be a very important series for Shreyas Iyer" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra reckons the ODI series will be extremely crucial for Shreyas Iyer as well. He reasoned:
"Secondly, I feel this is going to be a very important series for Shreyas Iyer because his situation is looking slightly tumultuous to me. If you had asked 12 months back, it seemed he was your perfect No. 4, but that is not the case now, things have changed."
The reputed commentator concluded by observing that Rishabh Pant also needs to replicate his Test performances in limited-overs cricket. Aakash Chopra stated:
"After that, it is important for Rishabh Pant to nail the ODI format. He plays Test cricket extremely well but he is still figuring out white-ball cricket."
Pant has emerged as one of Team India's biggest match-winners in the longest format of the game. However, he is yet to deliver on his potential in white-ball cricket and will hope to raise his game in the ODI series against England.