Anjum Chopra Praises India's "Very Good" Batting in T20 World Cup

Chopra noted that when Abhishek Sharma was not in form, Ishan Kishan led from the front and made runs and feels all the Indian openers are amongst runs, including Sanju Samson, who has played only two fixtures in the ongoing T20 WC.

Ishan has led the charge for India in the batting chart with 214 runs in six fixtures, while Abhishek Sharma, who struggled to open his account in the initial matches, also got some runs under his belt against Zimbabwe in India's Super 8 match with a fifty on Thursday.

On the other hand, Samson has only played two fixtures in the ongoing T20 WC, making 46 runs at an average of 23.00.

"I assess that the batting of the Indian team is very good. At least, at every opportunity, a player stands up and makes runs. Ideally, before this, when Abhishek Sharma was not in form, or let's say he was in the form but not making runs, but Ishan Kishan was making runs, and now Abhishek has made runs in the previous match also. So, at least one can say that all the openers are amongst runs, Sanju Samson included, including Ishan Kishan, if he opens. So, I will assess India's batting as a very strong batting lineup, and obviously, we want there to be more than one person making a big impact, " Anjum Chopra told ANI.

The Indian team opted to go in with a right-left combination to open the innings against Zimbabwe. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson opened the innings while Ishan came at No.3. Ishan's coming at three forced Varma to bat down the order.

But Varma was an absolute different entity coming down at number six at Chepauk, scoring a 16-ball 44*, with three fours and four sixes and striking at a mind-boggling strike rate of 275.00.

Chopra also felt that Indian batter Tilak Varma is a quality player and is adaptable to bat in different conditions, so shuffling his batting order isn't a bad idea.

"I think he (Tilak Varma) didn't come in the last match at number 3. He came down to bat against Zimbabwe. So, the role that the team has given him, according to me, he is also a very quality player. So, there is nothing wrong in shuffling his batting order because he has so much skill that he can adapt to conditions also," Chopra noted.

It may have taken some time to find the right balance, but India appears to have finally locked in their best batting mix at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

It was the new-look opening pair of Sharma (55) and Samson (24) that did the damage during the early overs, with Kishan (38), Suryakumar Yadav (33), Hardik Pandya (50*) and Tilak Varma (44*) all getting in on the act as India posted the highest score of the T20 World Cup so far (256/4) and the second biggest in the tournament's history against Zimbabwe on Thursday in Chennai.

India got contributions from all of their top six batters as they put Zimbabwe to the sword in Chennai on Thursday, setting up a cut-throat clash against the West Indies at Eden Gardens that will determine who claims the final spot in the knockout stages.

Zimbabwe's 72-run loss to India, following a 107-run loss to West Indies, has sealed their exit from the T20 World Cup, with South Africa qualifying for the semifinal from their group and the shoot-off for the second semifinal spot in Group 1 being between India and West Indies, who will play a virtual knockout match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 1.

- ANI