"Jadeja and Ashwin will together take more than 14 wickets" - Aakash Chopra makes his predictions for the 1st India vs Sri Lanka Test

Aakash Chopra has made his predictions for the first Test between Team India and Sri Lanka to be played in Mohali from March 4.

Team India go into the match as the favorites considering their excellent record at home. However, they have not been at the top of their game in Test cricket recently, failing to win the Kanpur Test against New Zealand and coming up short in the three-match series against South Africa.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra predicted a rich haul of wickets from Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. He said:

"I feel Jadeja and Ashwin will together take more than 14 wickets in the entire Test match provided that Ashwin is fit. That's a big question because that confirmation has not yet come."

The former India cricketer reckons the team winning the toss will opt to bat first. Aakash Chopra explained:

"Whoever wins the toss will bat first. You might say what sort of prediction this is. Sorry, it is obvious. In India, whenever the coin falls in your favor, you are extremely elated that you will bat after winning the toss."

Both captains are likely to prefer batting first in Indian conditions. However, with the slightly cooler weather in Mohali, getting to bowl first might not be too disadvantageous as the pitch could assist the seamers in the first session.

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"Indian openers will score more runs than the Sri Lankan openers" - Aakash Chopra

Mayank Agarwal is likely to open the batting with Rohit Sharma

Aakash Chopra expects the Indian openers to outscore their Sri Lankan counterparts. He observed:

"I feel the Indian openers will score more runs than the Sri Lankan openers. Now Rohit is back. His partnership with Mayank will flourish once again."

The reputed commentator concluded by predicting an Indian win in the first Test. Aakash Chopra elaborated:

"India to win this Test match, there is no doubt. It is an important Test match. Sri Lanka can give a fight but we were saying in the T20s also that there will be a fight, it will be a difficult series, but India won it one-sided. Here also you will expect that the Indian team will not come in Sri Lanka's hands. But last time when Sri Lanka came, two of the three Tests were drawn. That was then, this is now."

Sri Lanka have never won a Test match in India. Rohit Sharma will hope to maintain that record and start his reign as the Indian Test skipper on a winning note.