New Zealand beat India by 21 runs in the first T20I at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Friday, January 27, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Former India batsman Akash Chopra stated that Team India did not get off to a good start in the run chase, with Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan failing at the top of the order in T20I cricket.
There were questions raised over Indian top-order batters with the absence of senior batters such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul. Ishan has struggled to score in T20Is, scoring only 180 runs in his last 12 innings at a poor average of 15 and a strike rate of 116.12. Gill made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka and scored only 65 runs in the four innings played so far.
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There Were Hopes Until Suryakumar Yadav Was There – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Akash Chopra expressed his disappointment with India’s top-order batting and said that it is not a great story for Shubman Gill in T20Is. The former India opener claimed that Rahul Tripathi failed to capitalize on the opportunity and that he is in the early stages of his international career.
“It is a slightly misfiring top order. The start was not good. The ball hit Ishan Kishan’s stumps. He has a highest of 36 in his last 12 innings in T20Is. Shubman Gill – the ball got stuck, and he got caught. Shubman Gill in T20Is – not a fantastic story at this point in time,” Aakash Chopra said.
“Rahul Tripathi – it is a slightly young career; it has just started but he couldn’t open his account here, caught behind off Jacob Duffy’s bowling – good use of the DRS. Then Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya were there. There were hopes until Surya was there,” he added.
India will take on New Zealand in the second T20I at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Sunday, January 29.
Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah
