IND v WI: India shouldn’t take West Indies lightly in the T20I series, says Aakash Chopra
West Indies cricket (Image Credit:(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has asked the Indian team to be wary of the West Indies ahead of the three-match T20I series, starting on February 16 in Kolkata. Both teams have previously played as many ODIs in Ahmedabad. The hosts have dominated the visitors in every game.
In the first game, India beat the Men In Maroon by six wickets while chasing the target of 177 runs in 28 overs. In the next game, the Rohit Sharma-led side won by 44 runs. However, this was the game where the Nicholas Pooran-led side stayed in the competition in different patches.
In the last game, India restricted the visitors to 169 runs while defending the target of 266. This was the first time in history when India had clean-swept the West Indies.
While previewing the first T20I between the two teams, Chopra said that the two-time T20 World Cup winners have the required skills to excel in the shortest format.
“This team [West Indies] plays well according to the T20 format. They have all the required components. Their team is good, don’t take them lightly at all because they have a lot of strikers. From No. 1 to No. 9, you get strikers, you get multi-skilled players,” said Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel.
The former India opening batter believes that West Indies limited-overs skipper Kieron Pollard must be fit and available for the T20Is. Pollard was unavailable for the second and third ODI due to injury and Nicholas Pooran led the team in the former’s absence
“But the story in the end will be in what fashion they play. I think Kieron Pollard should be fit and available now and he should lead from the front, he should take a little more responsibility,” added the former India player.
