Former captain Anjum Chopra stated on Wednesday that Harmanpreet Kaur should bat at No. 3 as he possesses the range of shots necessary to dominate a game. India should consider rearranging its lineup before the T20 World Cup. The fashionable batter Anjum Chopra of the past is also concerned that the bowling attack may not be effective enough in close games.
Anjum Chopra attributed the Indian team’s defeat in the Asia Cup final to a lack of competition up until that point. Anjum Chopra stated that India’s team still needs improvement, pointing out Sri Lanka’s recent progress. Anjum Chopra has believed in the Women’s team being the most consistent before loosing to Sri Lanka in Asia Cup final.
Anjum Chopra Advocates for Harmanpreet Kaur at No. 3 Amid India’s Challenges
Former captain Anjum Chopra suggests Harmanpreet Kaur should bat at No. 3 to leverage her range of shots and control the game better. Anjum Chopra also expressed concerns about India’s bowling attack and called for a reassessment of team combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup, emphasizing the need for improvement in various areas.
Former Indian captain Anjum Chopra has proposed that Harmanpreet Kaur should bat at No. 3 to maximize her influence on the game. According to Chopra, Kaur’s skill set is optimal for this position, and she should seize the opportunity to face more deliveries. Addressing concerns about India’s performance in crucial matches, Chopra mentioned that the team’s bowling attack lacks depth and penetration, pointing to a shortfall that needs addressing before the T20 World Cup.
Anjum Chopra highlighted the need for India to reassess its combinations and strategies, citing the absence of key players in ongoing competitions as a critical oversight. She emphasized the importance of developing more well-rounded players and agile fielders to compete on the world stage.
Anjum Chopra reckons India Women’s bowling a concern ahead of WT20 2024
Former India Women’s captain Anjum Chopra feels that the Women in Blue’s current bowling attack is a cause for concern. Pointing out that the men’s team has the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, she opined that the women’s team do not have enough options as of now due to injury and form issues.
India Women went down to Sri Lanka Women in the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup final in Dambulla last month. Chasing a target of 166, Sri Lanka romped home in 18.4 overs, losing only two wickets as India’s bowlers failed to make any kind of impact.
In an interview with news agency PTI, Chopra lamented the lack of resources in India Women’s bowling line-up at present. She said (as quoted by The Print):
“Look, we have a Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami (in men’s team). When we have these bowlers around, we boast of a bowling lineup like no one in this world and this wasn’t achieved overnight.”
“I’m not saying that overnight we will have these kind of quality bowlers in the women’s team as well. We are playing with only five bowlers. Now that one bowler has a bad day, we are challenged,” the 47-year-old added.
The former India captain attributed the current scenario concerning the bowling department to multiple factors. Chopra elaborated:
“Maybe we don’t have the options. Maybe because players are injured, they are not there. Maybe the skill level has dropped for all those players who are injured or whether they’ve dropped off the radar. We do have a good bowling line-up but we don’t have a penetrative bowling line-up.”
Deepti Sharma was the only bowler to claim a wicket for India in the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Others like Renuka Thakur Singh were impressive earlier in the tournament but were lackluster in the final.
Anjum Chopra on India A team selection for Australia A series
Chopra also raised questions over the absence of big names from the Indian line-up for the ongoing series against Australia ‘A’. Pointing out that an experienced campaigner like Tahlia McGrath is leading the Australian side, she commented in the same interaction:
“We’ve not done well in Australia. India A is playing there. Meghana Singh is playing, who is not considered (for selection) even when she’s around Indian team. (Then) why is she playing there?”
“Why is Titas Sadhu not a part of this? Why is Sobhana Asha not a part of India A? I thought Jemimah Rodrigues should have been there in this team playing in Australia. Why is she not there? “(Those who have) just stepped out of the South African series and have not gone for ‘The Hundred’,” Chopra added.
Australia A thumped India A 3-0 in the T20I series. The hosts have also taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.