West Indies vs India 2023

‘Gill and Yadav to score 50+’ – Aakash Chopra locks in his predictions for 2nd WI vs IND T20I

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has predicted Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav to fire in the second T20I against West Indies. Whereas in the first game of the series, India was unable to chase down 150 run target after ending at 145/9 in 20 overs. Gill managed three runs, while Surya scored run a ball 21. 

Yadav, on this tour, has been given additional responsibility as, for this five T20I series, he is the deputy of Indian skipper Hardik Pandya. Whereas Gill, at the start of this year, became the fifth Indian to score centuries in all game formats with his uneaten 126 runs against New Zealand in T20I. In a video shared by a former Indian cricketer, he stated that Gill and Yadav would at least score 50 runs in the upcoming clash. 

Shubman Gill will have to make the most of it: Aakash Chopra

“Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill will together score more than 50 runs for sure. Shubman Gill is due to fire. He will have to keep in mind the number at which he bats and the number of times he is getting to bat there, he will have to make the most of it.

“When he does that, he gradually graduates into a senior. You don’t call him a youngster now because he has played a lot of cricket, you talk about him being talented, but he is still looking for consistency,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel. 

It is pertinent to mention that in the first game of the T20I series, Team India lost both openers in the fifth over (28/2); the right-hander batter was dismissed by 3 (9), and Ishan scored 6 (9). Interestingly, the home side also lost both their openers within the powerplays, Caribbean side was 30/2 in 4.3 overs after losing Brandon King and Kyle Mayers.

“Three or more wickets will fall in the powerplay overs, which means three or more wickets will fall in the 12 overs of powerplay, that’s what I feel. It’s possible West Indies lose more wickets than us,” concluded Chopra.

The Indian side, after winning Test and ODI series by 1-0 and 2-1 will be hopeful to make a comeback in the 20-over format fixture. Hardik Pandya-led side will take on West Indies in the second T20I at Providence Stadium, Guyana, on August 6.