Aakash Chopra comments on the significance of Ravi Bishnoi's performances vs Australia

Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that Ravi Bishnoi’s stunning performances in the T20I series between India and Australia should hold him in a good space, as the competition he is expected to face from other spinners for the T20 World Cup as well. Bishnoi registered figures of 2/29 in his four overs spell as India beat Australia by six runs in the final T20I in Bengaluru on Sunday. With nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.20, finished as the leading wicket-taker in the series as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Ravi Bishnoi – if you talk about leg-spinners, this was an extremely important series for him according to me. He is the frontrunner currently but there will be pressure on him when you get close to the World Cup. The last two World Cups have taught us that as soon as the World Cup comes, Ravichandran Ashwin comes. I am not saying that Ravichandran Ashwin will come this time but he could come as well. The World Cup is in the West Indies, the ball is going to turn.”

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Chopra further added: “Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal, Mayank Markande or Rahul Chahar could come. The list is long. So it was important for him to do well and he did well from the first to the last match.”

While, Mayank Markande and Rahul Chahar are out of radar of the national reckoning currently, apart from Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi will have to compete with the in-form Kuldeep Yadav, considering that only a one wrist-spinner might be added for the marquee event.

“There is one thing different in bilateral series. In World Cups, you play an opponent for the second time only in the semi-finals, but in bilaterals, by the fifth game, you know what the bowler does or what the batter does,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “Despite that, to remain effective, I think Ravi Bishnoi ticked a very important box. Bowling in the powerplay – ticked another very important box. He also bowled with a wet ball. So he has ticked all the boxes, barring one or two catches he dropped in the first match. So Ravi Bishnoi gets a huge tick mark.”