We Saw Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin Playing Together For India In Blue Clothing After A Long Time: Aakash Chopra

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra heaped praise over Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin, who played his first T20 International match after a gap of more than four years, returned with impressive figures of 2/14 in his four-over spell.

Ashwin bowled a fuller-length delivery to trap Gulbadin Naib before the wicket for LBW and later cleaned the stumps of Najibullah Zadran with a flatter delivery.

Ashwin’s long ally in the spin department, Ravindra Jadeja, too bowled brilliantly to get the wicket of Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s spell was sensational: Aakash Chopra.

Chopra was quite impressed with Ashwin and Jadeja’s combination that was once a prime factor during MS Dhoni’s captaincy days.

“We saw Jaddu and Ashwin playing together in blue clothing after a long time. Both bowled very well. Ashwin’s spell was sensational. The numbers are worth talking about. Ashwin gave just 14 runs in four overs and took two wickets,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“And those wickets were top-order wickets – Gulbadin Naib and Najibullah Zadran. Both are dangerous players, and you got both of them out. Jaddu also gave 19 runs in three overs and took a wicket. So, seven overs between the two of them – 33 runs and three wickets. Well done, spin twin,” he added.

There is a possibility that India could play a third spinner: Aakash Chopra

Pace bowler Mohammed Shami led India’s bowling charts against Afghanistan with his three wickets for 32 runs.

Shami’s dismissals included Mohammad Shahzad, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan.

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya went wicketless. Chopra feels that India could play a third spinner in the next game instead of a pace bowler.

“Shami had three wickets in his kitty. He got hit a little, but Shardul Thakur actually got hit a lot. That’s a question now you will have to start answering, whether you should play a third spinner instead of Shardul,” Chopra said.

“Hardik has started bowling a little; that’s another big positive, although he was expensive. He gave 23 runs in two overs, and Shardul gave 31 in three. So there is a possibility that you play a third spinner, who can be Rahul Chahar or Varun Chakravarthy,” he added.

India won by 66 runs against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi to keep their slim chances of qualifying in the semis alive.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2021: “Any Time You Give Him The Ball, He Comes To Take Wickets” – Rohit Sharma On Ashwin’s Approach