I am deeply concerned about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s form: Aakash Chopra

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra sounded a tad worried about Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s form before the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Bhuvneshwar hasn’t had a great outing in the ongoing Indian Premier League, having picked up five wickets from nine matches at an economy rate of 8.52, much higher than his career T20 economy of 7.17.

In the UAE leg of the IPL, the Meerut-born has churned out only two wickets from four matches. Even as Chopra accepted that Kumar should preferably be India’s choice to partner Jasprit Bumrah in the pace-bowling department, he wouldn’t take him in the playing eleven. Chopra said that he would rather prefer Mohammed Shami, who’s the leading wicket-taker for Punjab Kings in IPL 2021.

India have stopped picking wickets with the new ball, reckons Aakash Chopra

“I am deeply concerned for a variety of reasons. India have only picked three pacers and two of them are going to play. Bumrah is your first-choice bowler and Shami has the tendency of blowing hot and cold in the white-ball format. Bhuvneshwar should be the first-choice alongside Bumrah,” Chopra told ESPNcricinfo.

“But if the World Cup was starting tomorrow, he doesn’t walk into my playing eleven and I’ll have to go with Shami because he’s not showing me any form. Of course, there’s a lot of class there. We’ve seen some stellar bowling performances from Bhuvneshwar where he’s bowled with the new ball and picked up wickets. He’s then come back to bowl economically at the death,” he stated.

Chopra also went on to say that India need to start making breakthroughs with the new ball in order to strengthen their chances of winning the T20 World Cup. Moreover, the veteran was also worried for the fact that Hardik Pandya hasn’t bowled a whole lot due to his long-standing back problem over the years.

“India have stopped picking wickets with the new ball in white-ball cricket and it’s been a while now. Hardik hasn’t bowled a single over either. If the World Cup was starting tomorrow, I don’t want to be Virat Kohli at this point in time,” Chopra added.

India are scheduled to start their campaign in the World Cup against Babar Azam’s Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, October 24.