I won't be surprised if India score 400 batting first in third ODI against New Zealand: Aakash Chopra

Former India international Aakash Chopra believes that the Rohit Sharma-led side can breach the 400-run mark if they bat first in the third ODI against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. 

Courtesy of a batting masterclass from Shubman Gill, the Men in Blue posted 349 runs on board in the first match of the series. Thus, they can repeat the same and even get better as the pitch is known to favour the batters. Thus, it won’t be surprising to Chopra if India crosses the 400-run mark for the seventh time in ODI cricket history.

“What can we expect from this match? The Indian team has already lived up to expectations. I won't be surprised if India score 400 if they get to bat first, that's what I feel. 200-225 runs are scored in T20s here.

"The opposition team is weak, the pitch is extremely flat and the ground is very small. So when such an opportunity comes, all batters say they should improve their records because an international match is an international match,” the 45-year-old said on his YouTube channel.

There is nothing much to be concerned about: Chopra on Indian team

After a narrow victory in the first ODI against New Zealand at Hyderabad, team India absolutely decimated the Tom Latham-led side in the second match at Raipur. The bowlers were failing to clinch wickets in the middle overs and that was a matter of concern for quite some time but the cricketer-turned-commentator believes that there’s nothing to worry about at the moment.

“There is nothing much to be concerned about. We did feel after the first match how we would dismiss the lower middle order. Dasun Shanaka earlier scored a century and then Michael Bracewell did that. So if there is a problem with us, it is that we are unable to wipe out the tail.

At times, it proves expensive but now that is also not a problem. You picked up wickets at the top in a jiffy and if you dismiss a team for 110, things become very easy. Then it feels like a one-way street,” Chopra added.

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