Former India batter Aakash Chopra has converted a playing career into a successful broadcasting career in the recent years. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that Chopra is arguably the most popular Hindi commentator in the country at the moment. While cricket fans querying about a player’s absence from a match is common, Chopra’s absence from the commentary box also allures a substantial amount of questions.
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What comes across as a shot in the arm to Chopra’s fanned out knowledge of the sport is his choice of words. The manner in which the 45-year old makes it a dedicated effort to rhyme words makes listening to him a delightful experience for the majority.
Prophetic Commentary By Aakash Chopra Amazes A Fan
Calling the recently concluded first T20I between West Indies and India for Jio Cinema last night, Chopra effortlessly managed to become a source of amazement for a fan.
It all happened in the third over of the Indian innings when West Indies captain Rovman Powell (48) persisted with all-rounder Akeal Hosein (1/17) after he conceded only three runs in his first over.
With Hosein starting his second over with a dot ball, Chopra was quick to predict that the over would either produce a wicket or a boundary. Chopra perhaps had taken into account how India had scored only five runs in the first two overs of a 150-run chase at the Brian Lara Stadium. Hence, had confidently assumed the third over to be an event where the batters would attempt playing big shots to either get out or clear the fence.
Having scored 3* (8) before facing his last ball of the match, India batter Shubman Gill (3) provided validation to Chopra’s prophetic commentary by gifting his wicket to the home team. Wanting to hit the left-arm spinner over his head, all Gill did after stepping out was entirely missed out on making contact with the ball only to be out stumped for the first time in his T20I career.
“Can we get a brain scan of @cricketaakash ? It’s like he’s got a direct hotline to all things cricket! I’m convinced he’s hiding some secret cricket hacks up there!,” a fan named Vipin Tiwari tweeted.
Not The First Time When Aakash Chopra Predicted Shubman Gill’s Dismissal
It is to be noted that this wasn’t the first time when Chopra correctly envisioned a happening while sitting in a studio-based commentary box. Speaking particularly of Gill, the 23-year old player had become a victim of Chopra’s prognostication during Indian Premier League 2023 as well.
During the 30th league match of the cash-rich league earlier this year, Chopra had assumed that Gill would find it difficult to cope up with a sluggish Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium pitch.
“In batting, Wriddhiman Saha gives starts but doesn’t make a big score. There will be pressure on Shubman Gill because this pitch will not be that flat. [B] Sai Sudharsan has been very, very good but a run-a-ball. David Miller is brilliant and is more effective in a run-chase,” Chopra had said on the same platform in April.
With this discussion taking place right before the start of the match, the Gujarat Titans opener was on his way back to the pavilion without scoring a run across the two balls that he faced. Although he was batting in the first innings then, more similarities between the two dismissals include Gill stepping out to a left-arm spinner (Krunal Pandya then) on the second ball on the over.
