I think India will have to use their spinners and attack little more in U19 World Cup final: Aakash Chopra

Hosting JioCinema’s sports show ‘#AAKASHVANI’, JioCinema and Sports18 expert, Aakash Chopra, spoke of India’s stand-out players in the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup, and what Uday Saharan & Co. need to do in order to beat Australia in the final on Sunday in Benoni. Excerpts:

On Uday Saharan’s performance: “Uday has shown commendable consistency. If a batsman plays one good knock, you feel it’s fine. But he is the highest scorer of the tournament. He plays on the merit of the ball and shows maturity. His maturity was tested against South Africa in the semifinals. He played second-fiddle to Sachin (Dhas) and stayed there till the end after Sachin got out. I am also impressed with his captaincy, and his performance in the final will be closely watched.”

On Musheer Khan: “He is the second-highest scorer in the tournament after Uday. His batting style is slightly unorthodox. He can play the helicopter shot and the scoop, but what stands out for him is his temperament. He tries to control the game and that’s impressive. He possesses a maturity that belies his age. This maturity stems from the fact that he plays 20-25 matches every month.”

On Sachin Dhas: “He was outstanding in the semifinals. He possesses skills that India will need against Australia in the final. He plays the pull shot extremely well and it seems he has a lot of time while doing so.”

On India’s strategy in the final: “I think they will have to use their spinners and attack a little more. Australia play fast bowling well but we have seen them struggle slightly against spin. They were in a difficult position against Pakistan. That’s where Saumy Pandey will have to play a crucial role. He has good control and that will be helpful.”