"Shubman Gill is due to fire" - Aakash Chopra makes his predictions for the 2nd India vs West Indies T20I
Aakash Chopra expects Shubman Gill to fire with the bat in the second T20I between India and the West Indies.
The second game of the five-match series will be played in Providence, Guyana, on Sunday, August 6. Gill managed just three runs off nine deliveries in the series opener in Trinidad on Thursday, which India lost by four runs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra predicted Gill and Suryakumar Yadav to be among the runs in Sunday's game. He elaborated:
"Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill will together score more than 50 runs for sure. Shubman Gill is due to fire. He will have to keep in mind that the number at which he bats and the number of times he is getting to bat there, he will have to make the most of it. "
The former Indian opener added:
"When he does that, he gradually graduates into a senior. You don't call him a youngster now because he has played a lot of cricket, you talk about him being talented, but he is still looking for consistency."
Chopra expects a few wickets to fall in the powerplay overs. He stated:
"Three or more wickets will fall in the powerplay overs, which means three or more wickets will fall in the 12 overs of powerplay, that's what I feel. It's possible West Indies lose more wickets than us."
Both sides lost their respective openers in the powerplay overs in the first T20I. Brandon King (28) was the only opener to reach the double-digit mark in Trinidad.
"Spinners will take 5 or more wickets" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra expects spinners to have a field day in Guyana. He predicted:
"The Guyana pitch will also help the spinners a little. It is a morning game, the match will start at 10:30 AM, if you see from that angle there might be a little help for the fast bowlers if there is some moisture, but still, I feel no one will be able to dominate the spinners. The spinners will take five or more wickets in this game."
The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by opining that the visitors will draw parity in the series. He said:
"I am once again saying India to win. The series will be 1-1 after today's match."
Hardik Pandya and Co. will hope to bounce back with a better all-round performance in the second T20I. A second successive defeat will leave them in a tight spot in the five-match series.