T20 World Cup 2021: "I feel you will get stuck" - Aakash Chopra says Team India's balance is slightly awry

Aakash Chopra feels Team India will have an arduous task in getting Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli to complete the fifth bowlers' duties between the duo.

The Indian team are likely to go into the T20 World Cup with only five frontline bowling options, with Hardik Pandya unlikely to roll his arm over. The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav might have to be called into action if any of the regular bowlers are unable to bowl their full quota of overs.

While reflecting on Team India's possible bowling lineup in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that the Virat Kohli-led side might allow their opponents off the hook if both Jadeja and the skipper bowl in the middle overs. He explained:

"When you are playing with five bowlers, Jaddu bowls in the middle overs - after the 6th and before the 14th - now if he is also going to bowl in that and you want to get an over from Kohli as well, I feel you will get stuck."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Hardik Pandya's inability to bowl will compromise Team India's balance. Aakash Chopra reasoned:

"Team India's balance is slightly awry, let's be honest. If Hardik is not bowling, the Indian team is pegged back a little. Jadeja, the 4-over bowler in T20 cricket, is still a bit of a question mark."

Team India have the option to strengthen their bowling by batting Jadeja at no.6 and playing Shardul Thakur as the seam-bowling all-rounder at no.7. But they are unlikely to go that route as it will weaken their batting considerably.

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"Varun Chakravarthy should have been used better" - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra is slightly concerned about Varun Chakravarthy [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra also questioned Team India's handling of Varun Chakravarthy in their warm-up match against Australia. He elaborated:

"I feel Varun Chakravarthy should have been used better because if you don't do that, you will get found out. You are thinking of hiding him and I am saying to give him some confidence because he has not played international cricket."

The former India opener is slightly worried about the mystery spinner having not bowled much before the crunch match against Pakistan. Aakash Chopra said:

"If someone hasn't played international cricket and you get him to play an India-Pakistan match straightaway, he becomes nervous. I am slightly concerned about Varun Chakravarthy."

Chakravarthy played the IPL 2021 final for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on October 15. Apart from keeping the mystery spinner away from glaring eyes, the team management might have also wanted the injury-prone bowler to get sufficient rest.