Aakash Chopra Urges India to Avoid Rank Turners for England Test Series, Citing World Cup Final Lessons

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has sounded a warning to the Indian cricket team ahead of the Test series against England, advising against the preparation of rank turners. Chopra, known for his candid analysis, draws attention to the ODI World Cup final loss against Australia, attributing it to India’s obsession with pitch conditions.

Lesson from World Cup Final

In a recent discussion on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted the significant impact of pitch choices on match outcomes, referencing the ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad last year. India, opting to bat first on a dry pitch, hoped for favourable turning conditions later in the game. However, the pitch played better under lights, and Australia successfully chased India’s 240-run total.

“The biggest question ahead of the series is should rank turners be made? I am saying and have been saying for a long time – you lost the World Cup final also due to your obsession with the pitch. Preparing a pitch favouring you cost you the finals,” Chopra expressed.

Dravid’s Pitch Assessment

India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, in a recent statement, acknowledged the likelihood of the Hyderabad pitch offering turn as the game progresses. However, he remained uncertain about the speed and extent of the spin. Dravid’s comments add a layer of anticipation to the series opener scheduled to start on Thursday.

“How quickly and how fast, I’m not sure. But it might spin a little bit certainly as the game goes on,” stated Dravid.

Chopra Predicts India’s Victory

Despite the caution against rank turners, Chopra predicts India’s triumph in the series, emphasizing the team’s advantage. He questions England’s ability to secure 20 wickets, pointing out what he perceives as a weak spin attack.

“The scales are obviously tilted towards India, and they will only win this series. The question is whether it would be 4-0, 5-0, or 4-1. However, which match will they (England) win and how will they take 20 wickets because the spin attack is extremely weak? I don’t see any might in the spin bowling. So, if you don’t make turning pitches, you can score 500 runs against them at least thrice over the course of the series and maybe more. I feel you will win this series easily,” Chopra remarked.

As the Test series unfolds, the pitch conditions and team strategies will play a crucial role, and fans eagerly await the outcome of the first match in Hyderabad.

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