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Aakash Chopra has made his predictions for the first T20I between India and New Zealand. The cricketer-turned-commentator feels Rohit Sharma will win his first match as Team India's full-time skipper in the shortest format of the game.
The Indian team will take on the Tim Southee-led Kiwi side in the first T20I of the three-match series in Jaipur. The hosts will hope to avenge their loss at the hands of the Kiwis at the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2021.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra predicted that Team India will put it across New Zealand. He reasoned:
"I am saying India can win this encounter. I feel India will win this match. There will be a slight after-glow of reaching the finals, no Kane and we can strangulate New Zealand."
With dew likely to play a big role, the former India cricketer feels the side winning the toss will opt to bowl first. Aakash Chopra said:
"A straightforward one is - win the toss and field first. Whoever wins the toss, will want to field first. It is like the sun will rise from the east tomorrow morning and set in the west."
The chasing team enjoyed a huge advantage even in the T20 World Cup in the UAE. The toss could become a deciding factor in such a scenario.
"Indian openers to score more runs than New Zealand openers" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra predicted that the Indian openers will outscore their Kiwi counterparts. He elaborated:
"Indian openers to score more runs than New Zealand openers. You might say this is not a big deal but I feel the openers might not be the same as you are thinking. You might not see Rohit and Rahul opening."
The 44-year-old reckons that the pacers will be more penetrative than the spinners. Aakash Chopra observed:
"Pacers to pick up more wickets than spinners. Yes, we have come back to Indian pitches. We saw the fast bowlers taking a lot of wickets in the UAE but here you will want the spinners to take more. But here also I feel fast bowlers will take more wickets."
Both sides might opt to play just two spinners, keeping the dewy conditions in mind. Team India might have to choose between Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal as the second spinner to partner Axar Patel in such a scenario.
