Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has floated a suggestion for a two-tier system in Test cricket while the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final is on. Highlighting the lack of competitiveness among some teams, Chopra pointed out that certain nations have failed to come anywhere near securing a spot in the WTC final across the last three cycles. His proposal arrives as Australia plays South Africa in the last WTC final of 2025 at Lord's, with the defending champions having a 218-run advantage and just two second-innings wickets in hand going into the third day of Friday, June 13.

Talking in a video on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former opener queried the existing structure of Test cricket, contending that a tiered system could better balance out the competition. He pointed out that certain teams have consistently been below the top three rankings across the six years of WTC cycles, and there is a question over their position in the elite group. Chopra is making this comment because he noticed that the WTC was brought in to provide context to Test matches, but the absence of real contest between all teams prevents this aim from being realized.

Chopra explained his fears, saying, "Should Test cricket be divided into tiers? WTC was introduced since the ICC started realizing that Test cricket no longer has as much thrill. So they said they would put a little context in every match. The story is that the context has come, but where will you get the contest from?" He further added, "In my opinion, there is no contest because it's been six years since the start of WTC cycles; the last match of the third cycle is being played, but some teams have never come even close to the top three. Do they actually deserve to be in the top tier? Why is everyone in the same tier?"

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Chopra's Call for Reform

Chopra's suggestion of a two-tier Test cricket system will make the game more competitive by aligning teams according to their performance in WTC cycles. Dividing stronger teams from weaker ones struggling to compete, he feels the format would bring back the excitement and make the contests more meaningful, settling the imbalance that has haunted the championship.

Watch the video here:

Former Indian opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra shares an interesting suggestion calling for the authorities to reduce the five-day long Test matches to four days. He questioned why the Test matches need to be five-day long when most Tests don't even make it to the penultimate day. His suggestion comes amid the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final clash, which is highly unlikely to progress till the last day as 14 wickets fell inside day one.  

See also: "You don't nick the part time.." Australian batting icon expresses shock after being dismissed by a part-time spinner in the WTC 2025 Final

Chopra explains his reasons behind preferring a four-day Test

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra pondered why the duration of the Test matches can't be whittled down to four days as opposed to five days. He argued that the majority of the Tests end within four days, with the exception of a few going into the last day due to factors such as rain interruption and bad light. 

"I have a question. Should Test matches be reduced to four days? I don't think this Test match will last five days. So why shouldn't Test matches be reduced to four days? I will share some numbers with you. The matches usually end in three to three-and-a-half days. That is also not my biggest point because the matches that go into the fifth day are thriller types. However, they are two or maybe three in a year, and the entire Twitter (X) verse gets excited on that day, saying that's why the matches should be played over five days."

The opening day of the ongoing WTC Final 2025 has seen some intense action already, with as many as 14 wickets tumbling. South African quicks, especially Rabada, broke through the dominant batting lineup to dismiss Australia cheaply for 212. In reply, South Africa got off to a poor start and lost four wickets for just 43 runs, making many wonder how long the Test might last. If South Africa manage to capitulate early on day two, then the end of the Test could be as close as day three.

The battle for the mace heats up as Australia and South Africa gear up for an intense World Test Championship (WTC) Final showdown starting on June 11 at Lord's. This Test will also mark the first meeting between the two sides since 2023. The Australian skipper Pat Cummins is all set for glory once again, eyeing his second consecutive WTC title for his country. 

Ahead of the blockbuster encounter, renowned Indian commentator Aakash Chopra explains what makes Pat Cummins special and why he can turn out to be a serious threat for the Proteas. Pat has previously led Australia to ODI World Cup glory by defeating the tournament India in a full-house Ahmedabad stadium and later followed it up by outclassing the same opposition again in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (2024-25) Test series.  

See also: SA vs AUS, WTC Final 2025: South Africa vs Australia, Match Preview

Aakash Chopra's honest verdict on Pat Cummins

In a discussion between Aakash Chopra and former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, the duo lauded Cummins' all-round abilities and see him as someone who could pose a serious challenge to South Africa. They both went on to agree that Cummins is a true match-winner for his side and has a great game sense that sets him apart from the rest. 

“Pat Cummins is the biggest threat. His leadership, his bowling when there is a partnership, his batting lower down the order—he contributes across departments. He leads from the front and always keeps the opposition under pressure.”

A real battle for the ages await South Africa as they find themselves on the cusp of a historic feat. South Africa have had multiple failed attempts while getting their hands on the ICC Trophy. They previously missed on the 2024 T20 World Cup title, coming mighty close to the finishing line, only to throw it away at the last minute. They would want to brush the scars of the painful T20 World Cup defeat aside and shift all their attention to securing the prestigious ICC World Test Championship mace. 

The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season ended with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, under Rajat Patidar's leadership, breaking their 18-year wait to claim their first IPL trophy. Not only did the season see impressive team efforts, but it also saw a whole new set of fresh faces showcasing some of the most thrilling young talent to leave an indelible mark on the biggest platform.

Amongst the ones who were impressed was ex-India opener and cricket commentator Aakash Chopra, who posted his uncapped XI of IPL 2025 after the completion of the tournament. Showcasing the emergence of young players, Chopra's selections featured some shining stars — top among them being 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, who demonstrated that talent is ageless when it comes to top-level cricket.

Chopra began his XI with Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, showing respect for their work of leading their team to the IPL final. "Prabhsimran scored more than 500 runs — to put things into perspective, even Rohit Sharma has done that just once," Chopra added. He placed Vaibhav Suryavanshi at No. 3, even before CSK's promising kid Ayush Mhatre, highlighting the youngster's contribution during the season.

Vipraj Nigam Dubbed the "Find of the Tournament,"

Chopra went on to select Delhi Capitals' Vipraj Nigam as his top all-rounder in his XI. Praises his versatility, Chopra stated, "He bowls leg-spin, bowls fast, turns the ball, and scores runs in both the powerplay and middle overs. He might be the first amongst these names who plays for India."

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Chopra's uncapped IPL 2025 XI are Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Naman Dhir, Vipraj Nigam, Harpreet Brar, Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Anshul Kamboj — an exciting bunch full of youthful spark and future Indian talent.

Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) went for a break when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was on form, second at the league points table. After some tense days between India and Pakistan, both nations agreed to a ceasefire; thus, BCCI found a scope to reschedule the remaining IPL 2025.

RCB will restart their campaign on Saturday, May 17, against Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champion. As per the latest performances and stats, Rajat Patidar's led team needs only one win to confirm their playoff spot from their remaining three matches. There are high chances that the Bengaluru-based team entered into the next round as the best of the second-best team of the group stage, which will help them to play in the Qualifier 1 match.

But, according to Aakash Chopra, former India opener and now cricket expert, things can fold a little tricky for Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to the revised schedule. Chopra, from his official YouTube channel, has explained why RCB may feel discomfort in the later part of the group stage, as they have to play their last match on an away fixture against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

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"RCB were supposed to play their last game at home. That match was against KKR. Now that's not the case. They will play their home matches first now, and their last match will be against Lucknow in Lucknow. If you see it from that point of view, they are hard done by," Chopra said in his video. 

Aakash showed the other side of the coin

Along with the disadvantage, the cricket expert also explored the side of the possibilities, which may go in favor of RCB. Royal Challengers Bengaluru was showing tremendously when they travelled away from their home ground, winning all of their away fixtures so far in IPL 2025, and their last match versus LSG is also an away contest.

So Chopra said, "However, I am saying they have benefited. They don't play very well at home in any case, and they haven't yet lost away. They have won all six. More importantly, they are playing the league's last game. The last league game is RCB vs. LSG."

RCB’s league stage schedule for remainder of IPL 2025:

RCB vs KKR, Bengaluru - May 17th, Saturday

RCB vs SRH, Bengaluru - May 23rd, Friday

LSG vs RCB, Lucknow - May 27th, Tuesday

Watch the video here:

Clash of Clans—that is how cricket fans are labeling Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, game 46 of IPL 2025. Along with Gujarat Titans, these two teams also are the top favorites to clinch a playoff spot with 12 points: Delhi Capitals currently at number 2 and RCB at the third place of the ladder. Former Indian cricketer and cricket pundit at present, Aakash Chopra said, "This could be the game of the tournament."

Delhi Capitals will get the home ground advantage as the match is set to be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium. But when Virat Kohli is on the pitch, the atmosphere of the gallery can change drastically. Chopra has shown little concern over Delhi Capitals tactical decisions. The Axar Patel-led side has fielded their team with fewer overseas players; the DC XI mostly relies on Indian talent.

Faf du Plessis is with the squad, and Jake Fraser-McGurk is also there, but DC has planned differently; they put Karun Nair as an opener with Abishek Porel. Nair's IPL 2025 debut innings was an absolute banger; his presence in the lineup provides DC an extra edge. Jake Fraser-McGurk's past IPL record is undoubtedly good, but this time he was too far from his best. 

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"I feel DC's batting is working thus far but will get stuck someday for sure. They have been doing a decent job, but I feel something might get stuck. It may be this game, or it might just be my thinking, and it might never happen. The home team has gone towards all made in India, although they finally decided to play Dushmantha Chameera. However, they are still playing with only three overseas—(Tristan) Stubbs, (Mitchell) Starc, and Dushmantha Chameera. I still don't know what the news is about Faf du Plessis. It doesn't seem like they wish to play Jake Fraser-McGurk currently. So what this team will do, I have no idea. Abishek Porel and Karun Nair might only be seen opening," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

In terms of the latest performances, DC and RCB are both on the same level; in the last 5 matches, both of the teams won 3 and lost 2. In game 24, IPL 2025, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Patel's Delhi Capitals proved better than Rajat Patidar's RCB by 6 wickets.

Chopra slightly optimistic about RCB 

But it seems like Chopra was not bothered by the stats and numbers; he solely believed in how the teams were performing in the field. From his point of view, the commentator has said that RCB may have played better than DC in recent times. 

"In whose favor are the scales tilted? Since they are on the road, I will say the scales are tilted towards RCB. However, this could be the game of the tournament. This game will be enjoyable," Chopra said.

On Tuesday afternoon, a terrible terror attack took place in Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot in South Kashmir. Armed terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran valley, also known as "mini Switzerland" because of its green meadows and scenic beauty. The attack killed several people and injured at least 20 others. 

According to reports, the shooting started around 3 PM when the attackers came down from the nearby mountains and began firing. A video from the area shows people lying injured on the ground, while others were crying and searching for family members. Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the number of people killed is still being confirmed. He also said that this attack is one of the worst in recent years against civilians.

Leaders Across India Strongly Condemn the Attack

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was deeply saddened by the attack. He posted on X, saying, "Those involved in this act will not be spared." He also said he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held a meeting with top security officials. Shah is expected to travel to Srinagar to review the situation closely. A meeting was also held at his home in Delhi, attended by senior officials, including the heads of the Intelligence Bureau, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

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Many political leaders strongly condemned the attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called it an “act of cowardice” and said his prayers are with the victims. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the government must take responsibility and take strong steps to stop such violence in the future. Sajad Lone, leader of J&K People's Conference, said the terrorists are enemies of Kashmir’s future. “They don’t want tourists to come here. They want to destroy our peace and economy,” he said. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the violence and said such acts must be rejected by all.

Indian Cricket Community Stands United Against Terrorism

This tragic attack has hurt not just the families of the victims but also the people of Kashmir, who depend on tourism for their income. Just when Kashmir was beginning to see more visitors, this attack has brought fear and pain again. The country now waits for strong action and justice for those who lost their lives in this cruel act of terror.

Indian cricketers also expressed their sorrow. Shubman Gill posted, “Heartbreaking to hear about the attack in Pahalgam. My prayers are with the victims and their families.” Gautam Gambhir wrote, “Those responsible will pay. India will strike. #Pahalgam.”

Heartbreaking to hear about the attack in Pahalgam. My prayers are with the victims and their families. Violence like this has no place in our country.

— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) April 22, 2025

Targeting innocent tourists is an act of absolute cowardice. Heart goes out to all the victims and their families. Just when it should’ve been the start of a beautiful summer in paradise. Hope the perpetrators are dealt with in the severest manner .. #PahalgamAttack

— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) April 22, 2025

Shocked and angry to hear what happened in Kashmir today. While those responsible will be punished, and I’m sure they will, right now there’s a numb disbelief at the terrible acts and the manner in which it all happened. Praying for the souls of those who lost their lives in…

— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) April 22, 2025

Unimaginable atrocity in Pahalgam.
Heart goes out to the victims and their families. 🕉️ शान्ति।
Hope the perpetrators (and their sympathisers) are identified, caught and given the punishment they deserve.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 22, 2025

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) endured yet another tough loss in IPL 2025, falling to the Mumbai Indians (MI) by nine wickets in Match 38 on Sunday, April 20. CSK posted a below-par 176/5 in their innings, which was chased down with ease by MI in just 15.4 overs. The loss further dims CSK's hopes of a playoff qualification this season.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reflected on the game and CSK’s current strategy in a video on his YouTube channel. He noted that the team is clearly shifting focus toward building for the future, especially with several young names in the lineup. Chopra pointed out that MS Dhoni himself admitted after the match that CSK is looking to build a strong combination for next season, suggesting that even the legendary captain has accepted that a deep run this year looks unlikely.

“When I look at it from Chennai’s perspective, they have started going young. That change is visible. They’re assembling a lot of 20-year-old kids,” said Chopra. Names like Ayush Mhatre, Shaik Rasheed, Noor Ahmad, and Pathirana were among those highlighted as key prospects. Chopra added that Dhoni has resigned to the fate that there is nothing happening with CSK this season and is now focusing on the long-term rebuild.

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Young Talent Shines Despite Loss

Among the few bright spots for CSK was 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, who impressed with a quickfire 32 off just 15 balls. Chopra praised the youngster’s stroke play and composure, calling him a “proper batter.” Ravindra Jadeja (53*) and Shivam Dube (50) also chipped in with fifties, but the total was never enough to trouble the in-form Mumbai side.

As CSK turns its focus toward nurturing its youth and restructuring its core, fans may need to temper expectations for this season—but the seeds of a new era could already be taking root.

Akash Chopra has predicted something big about ongoing IPL 2025, after Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clash at Wankhede Stadium yesterday (April 17). SRH, after batting first found themselves in a tight situation with only 162 runs on board.

At Wankhede, Mumbai Indians home ground, it was an unusual sight, the ball came slightly slower to the bat, which made batsmen difficult to hit hard. The hosting team witnessed the same after SRH innings. With the sluggish nature of the wicket, SRH had a good chance to dominate over MI batters. But their bowlers are not at their peak like their batters. 

Former cricketer Akash Chopra feels that the season has already gone for Sunrisers Hyderabad. "It pains my heart, but I feel this season is gone for them. This match was extremely important. They will host MI after this, and then they have a match against CSK. They may win a few, but now I feel this team has gone far away from qualification. At times, just the one match takes you far away, and I think Hyderabad are unlikely to qualify", Chopra said his from his YouTube channel. 

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He blamed both batter and bowlers of SRH for their lackluster performance this season. Despite having a powerful batting unit, the opening pair of Hyderabad was batting with a slow pace in Wankhede, which annoys Akash. According to him, "both openers didn't get out as well, they had a 50-run opening partnership, but they had never played slower than this. They could have gotten out two or three times, catches were dropped, and a guy's (Karn Sharma) webbing got torn, but the bat was not striking the ball," Chopra observed."

Ishan Kishan and NK Reddy made Chopra dishearted 

The former cricketer, now commentator, criticized Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ishan Kishan openly by saying, "Nitish Kumar Reddy hasn't really arrived yet. Ishan Kishan scored a hundred in the first match, but nothing after that. The team underperformed a little this time. It's not been a good story."

Ishan Kishan started his IPL 2025 journey with an eye-catching century, and on the other hand, NK Reddy piled up 131 runs at an average of 21.83 in six innings in the ongoing IPL season. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were handed a disappointing 25-run loss by the Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 encounter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Needing 184, CSK's batting was as lackluster as the home crowd had feared. Wickets fell in quick succession, and although MS Dhoni attempted to steady the ship, his defensive game raised eyebrows as the asking rate kept climbing out of their reach.

Citing this former India cricketer and commentator, Aakash Chopra did not hesitate to criticize CSK's approach in the chase. In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra asked if the team truly tried to go for the target after the pressure started mounting. He was displeased, especially with Dhoni, and noted that singles and defensive shots were not enough when the game demanded aggressive strokeplay. His comments concentrated on the lack of intent from a team that is famous for their aggressive style of cricket. Chopra's rant particularly singled out Dhoni's 30 off 26 balls as too conservative for a finisher of his legendary stature. For the cricketer-turned-commentator, the top-order collapse was a concern, but more was expected of Dhoni to turn the game around in a late turnabout. He reminded people that Dhoni's reputation as the "greatest finisher of all time" does come with some expectations, and in this case, the approach left many, including himself, perplexed.

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Did you even try to chase?: Aakash Chopra

Chopra's comment has stirred eyebrows among observers as well as fans. Some agree with him, believing that CSK missed their opportunity by not being so aggressive in the pursuit. They contend that Dhoni, with his huge experience, had the choice of taking more strategic risks to keep scoring and piling pressure on the opposition.

"Chennai, what did you do? When the run chase started, wickets were falling as though it was a joke. I have not seen a more insipid performance than this from you. You probably thought after the 10th over that you didn't want to chase. Did you even try to chase? The required run rate was mounting, and you were defending and taking singles," the former India opener said.

Meanwhile, there are those Dhoni supporters who believe the criticism is not warranted, noting that the platform was already wobbly prior to Dhoni's entry. With wickets falling at frequent intervals, they believe Dhoni had no option other than to play cautiously. Whatever, Chopra's remarks have certainly given fire to the controversy surrounding CSK strategy and Dhoni's role in this season of IPL.