T20 World Cup 2022: "It is time for Australia to bid goodbye to some of their players" - Aakash Chopra on their exit from the tournament
Aakash Chopra feels Australia's exit from the T20 World Cup 2022 before the semi-finals might be the end of the road for some of their star players.
Australia finished third in Group 1 of the Super 12 stage, equal on points with New Zealand and England but below them on net run rate. The defending champions, who were playing on their home turf, were resultantly knocked out of the tournament before the semi-finals.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on two of the big teams who were eliminated from the tournament before the last-four stage. As for Australia, he said:
"I feel it is time for Australia to bid goodbye to some of their players. Aaron Finch - I think he is done if you talk about his T20 career. David Warner - by the next World Cup, he will be what 37, so that will be a question. If you see Steve Smith, he played just one match but is he a T20 player?"
Chopra pointed out that the Aussies' star players failed to deliver the goods. The former India batter elaborated:
"Is Pat Cummins a T20 player? They will have to find answers to some questions. I don't see Kane Richardson playing too much going ahead. There is a question about Mitchell Starc as well. The main players didn't really pull their weight into the side. Glenn Maxwell - name Max but the job he did was mini."
While David Warner managed only 44 runs in the four innings he played, Steve Smith was dismissed for just four runs in his solitary knock. None of the Australian bowlers picked up more than five wickets, with Mitchell Starc even being dropped from the XI for their final game against Afghanistan.
"The choker word will come out again" - Aakash Chopra on South Africa's exit
Chopra highlighted South Africa's inability to dispel the "chokers" tag. He observed:
"South Africa, on the other hand, the choker word will come out again. Now we have even changed the tube lights. We don't have chokes in them anymore. But this team is still choking. It used to happen in 1992 and is still happening."
Chopra picked Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma's presence in their XI as another of their stumbling blocks. The cricketer-turned-commentator stated:
They have different types of issues but they are a good team. They are playing 10 vs 11. There is no place for Bavuma, with due respect, you are the captain but Reeza Hendricks is sitting out. That's a travesty of justice. The two big teams which have been knocked out have only themselves to blame.
Tom Moody said, "Temba Bavuma is the elephant in the room. There are better players sitting on the bench who should get a chance now".
Bavuma scored 70 runs in five innings at a below-par average of 17.50 and an equally disappointing strike rate of 112.90. He did play an attacking 36-run knock against Pakistan but was found wanting otherwise.