WTC final: "You need at least 50 overs" - Aakash Chopra explains how India could push for a win

Aakash Chopra reckons Team India will have to make New Zealand bat for at least 50 overs to harbor any hopes of winning the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The WTC final is intriguingly poised as it enters reserve day with all three results still possible. If the weather holds well as per the forecast, the match could go right down to the wire.

How good? A World Test Championship battled out over two years comes down to the final day with all three results possible.

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) June 22, 2021

While talking about the prospects of an Indian win in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that they will need a reasonable number of overs to bundle out the Kiwis in the fourth innings. He said:

"India is 32 runs ahead. You need at least 50 overs to get New Zealand out. There are 98 overs to be played, out of which two overs will be for the changeover. So if you have to give them 50 overs, you are left with 46 overs."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels 200 runs in 50 overs might be a realistic target for New Zealand and added:

"You would want to give a target of around 200 in 50 overs, minimum four runs per over. So you need to score around 170 runs in the remaining 46 overs. It is possible, it is nearly four an over."

Aakash Chopra added that even 180 runs would have been a good enough target in a bilateral series, but Team India might want to be on the safer side in the WTC final.

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"Cheteshwar Pujara is an insurance policy you have bought" - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra expects Cheteshwar Pujara to play cautiously

Aakash Chopra explained that while Cheteshwar Pujara can hold one end, the batsmen at the other end can be a little adventurous. He said in this regard:

"Pujara will not play fast, that's a surety. He is an insurance policy you have bought. So you will have to score runs quickly from the other end. It can be done, this will be the best batting day."

The 43-year-old added that Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja will have to provide the impetus to the Indian innings:

"For that to happen, Kohli has to continue with the form he came in with, Rishabh Pant's bat will have to fire, Rahane has to contribute and Jaddu will have to come and take it forward quickly."

Main Men for tomorrow . 🇮🇳🤞 #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/YZZXozwMqq

— ARPAN (@ThatCricketHead) June 22, 2021

While Aakash Chopra signed off by predicting a drawn encounter, he acknowledged that Team India have surprised everyone by pulling off improbable wins time and again.