"Pujara and Rahane will score more runs than the Indian openers" - Aakash Chopra makes his predictions for the 1st IND vs NZ Test
Aakash Chopra has made his predictions for the first Test between India and New Zealand, which will be played in Kanpur from Thursday.
Both India and New Zealand go into the encounter with depleted outfits. The hosts might be slightly more adversely hit as they will be without first-team regulars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
While making his predictions for the encounter in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will contribute more to the Indian total than the two openers. He elaborated:
"Pujara and Rahane will together score more runs than the Indian openers. There was pressure on Pujara also but he redeemed himself after the second innings in Leeds, which was very good. Both openers are also going to be new."
The former India cricketer also expects Kane Williamson and Tom Latham to make a decent contribution with the bat for the Black Caps. Aakash Chopra predicted:
"Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, both are good players against spin, I feel the two of them together will score more than 125 runs in this match."
Williamson and Latham are two of the most accomplished batters in the Kiwi lineup. They will be the prime targets of the Indian spinners along with Ross Taylor.
"The Indian spinners will definitely take more than ten wickets" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra believes the Indian spinners will bag a rich haul of wickets. He observed:
"I believe the Indian spinners, however many play, will definitely take more than ten wickets. India has to take twenty wickets in all - I feel 10, 11, 12 or 13 might go in the spinners' account."
Axar Patel - Ravi Ashwin - Ravi Jadeja in Tests. It will be fun vs New Zealand.
The reputed commentator concluded by picking the Ajinkya Rahane-led side as the likely winners of the encounter. Aakash Chopra said:
"And I am saying that India will win this match."
New Zealand last won a Test match in India way back in 1988. However, the Kiwis will fancy their chances as the Indian team go into the encounter with an unsettled batting unit.
Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill to open in the first Test match against New Zealand. Suryakumar Yadav or Shreyas Iyer likely to make debut.
Team India will field a new opening pair of Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill, with Shreyas Iyer likely to make his debut at No. 5. Rahane and Pujara have also not been at their best lately and the Kiwi bowlers can certainly take advantage of that.