"The side boundaries will be big here" - Aakash Chopra on the potential examination for Abhishek Sharma in IND vs ENG 2025 2nd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has reckoned that Abhishek Sharma will be tested in the second T20I against England in Chennai. He pointed out that Chepauk has big side boundaries and that the visiting seamers will likely bombard the left-handed opener with bouncers.

Abhishek smoked 79 runs off 34 deliveries in India's seven-wicket win in the first T20I in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22. The second game of the five-match series will be played on Saturday, January 25, before Rajkot, Pune and Mumbai host the final three T20Is.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reflected on some of the key players for the Men in Blue heading into the second T20I. As for Abhishek, he said (13:30):

"Abhishek Sharma has played an excellent knock, but the side boundaries will be big here. I don't think they will start with Gus Atkinson here. Mark Wood will be there with Jofra (Archer) and the bouncers will be bowled. I feel that will be a very good examination."

Chopra added that Sanju Samson could also face difficulties against short-pitched bowling.

"It will be interesting for Sanju Samson as well. He thrashed Gus (Atkinson), 22 runs in an over, but didn't score that many runs against anyone else. These are tall bowlers who bowl with effort and if someone goes so deep in the crease, which Sanju is going, it becomes slightly difficult to turn and play the shot off the back foot as the weight transfer doesn't happen that well," he reasoned.

Samson scored 26 runs off 20 deliveries in the first T20I against England. He was caught at deep square leg after skying an attempted pull shot off Jofra Archer's bowling.

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"He is a thinking cricketer" - Aakash Chopra on the improvements in Varun Chakaravarthy's bowling

Varun Chakaravarthy registered figures of 3/23 in four overs in the first T20I against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra termed Varun Chakaravarthy, the Player of the Match in the first T20I, a thinking cricketer.

"Varun Chakaravarthy said a very good thing. He said that he used to do side-spin earlier and is now focusing on over-spin. He is a thinking cricketer. He watched a lot of his videos and understood why he wasn't able to pick up wickets and put batters under pressure. So is this the way to go, and he has flourished," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator particularly appreciated the mystery spinner for bowling a googly that bamboozled Liam Livingstone in the first T20I.

"He has been incredible since he made his comeback. He hasn't turned and looked back. He has consistently picked up wickets and the ball he hit on Liam Livingstone's stumps, it again reminded me that no matter how many sixes you might have hit and come, you can't do anything if you are unable to read spin from the hand," Chopra elaborated.

Chopra was unsure whether Ravi Bishnoi would be a part of India's playing XI in Chennai. He opined that Harshit Rana could play, if Mohammed Shami is not yet ready, as the hosts would otherwise be a seamer short if the Chepauk pitch is not as spin-friendly as the one at the Eden Gardens.