Aakash Chopra Dismisses Concerns Over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Form Ahead of Second Test Against Bangladesh
Ahead of the second Test match between India and Bangladesh, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has dismissed concerns regarding the recent form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite underwhelming performances in the opening Test at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chopra believes there’s no reason to be alarmed about the two batting stalwarts.
In the first Test, Rohit Sharma scored 6 and 5, while Virat Kohli managed 6 and 17 in his two innings. Kohli’s dismissal in the second innings, where he chose not to review an lbw decision despite an apparent edge, raised questions.
However, India comfortably secured a 280-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Despite the team’s success, Rohit and Kohli’s lack of runs was a topic of discussion.
Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, expressed confidence in both players, pointing out that temporary dips in form are not uncommon. “I will say it’s not a concern. It happens at times that runs aren’t scored. Runs not getting scored could be a concern if it’s a long patch. They played in the T20 World Cup final and both left at an amazing high,” he stated.
Chopra also highlighted Rohit’s strong performance in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, where the Indian captain accumulated 157 runs in three matches, which further assures that his form is intact. “Rohit Sharma looked very good. He didn’t face any difficulties,” Chopra noted. He added that while Kohli didn’t score many runs during that series, the absence of subsequent matches may have contributed to a lack of rhythm.
On the topic of their decision to skip the Duleep Trophy, Chopra acknowledged that playing in the domestic tournament might have helped them. However, he was quick to add that top players, including all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, also didn’t feature in the Duleep Trophy but managed to excel in the Test match. “They didn’t face any difficulties either in batting or bowling. So let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, the second Test between India and Bangladesh will be played at Green Park, Kanpur, starting on September 27. With a 1-0 lead in the series, India will aim to close out the series, and both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have the chance to respond to any doubts regarding their form.
Chopra’s remarks reflect the belief that two of India’s most reliable batsmen will quickly return to their best, and a single Test match doesn’t define their current standing.
