Indian cricket team (ANI)
With India set to win their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Chennai, former cricketer and commentator Akash Chopra has urged the team to return to their fearless and attacking style if they want to keep their semi-final hopes alive.The MA Chidambaram Stadium is gearing up for a high-pressure evening, as India needs not only a win but also a big margin to boost their net run rate.
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Speaking on JioHotstar, Chopra analyzed India’s qualification scenario and pointed out the challenges ahead.On India’s path to the semi-finals, he said: “The tough issue for India is that they need to win their remaining two Super Eight matches and they also hope that South Africa will win their matches against West Indies and Zimbabwe.
“But if it doesn’t, then net operating rate comes into play.”Chopra asserted that if qualification comes down to net run rate, India must rediscover their attacking mentality. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav is believed to have a key role to play in this transformation.“Then India will need to showcase their explosive brand of cricket. Suryakumar Yadav is the right man for that role. He needs to bat at three and bat freely. Against South Africa, I felt he was too slow.”
When he came out, the mountain was too high for others to climb.”Chopra also raised concerns about India’s current batting pattern, suggesting that it lacks balance and clarity.“India has batsmen at the top who go hammer and tongs from the first ball and lose wickets. That puts the team in difficult positions. Then the batsmen who come after that are very cautious and conservative. They start eating deliveries regardless of the pitch, the conditions or the bowler.”
“They are playing the situation completely and are late in the game.”He further noted that this measured approach represents a departure from the gritty cricket that India has displayed in recent years.“This is not the kind of cricket India has played in the last two years. They take pride in saying we crush teams and score 250, 260 or 270. But Suryakumar Yadav and his men may have forgotten that formula. The model now is to score just 180-190. That’s good enough some days, but good teams chase those totals with ease. India needs to bring back their aggressive brand of cricket. If they don’t, their hopes of success are down.” “The semi-finals could be in trouble,” he concluded.With their campaign hanging in the balance, India must produce a strong performance against Zimbabwe to remain in contention for a place in the semi-finals.See also: IND vs ZIM live score
