Former India cricketer Nikhil Chopra has raised eyebrows with his bold statement ahead of the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025, which is set to take place on Sunday, September 14, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Chopra has pointed out that Pakistan’s current team does not enjoy the same recognition or popularity among fans as the legendary sides of the 1990s. He also said that even die-hard T20 cricket fans may find it hard to name Pakistan’s top players today.
Nikhil Chopra mocks Pakistan’s current popularity, praises India’s star-studded lineup
In contrast, India’s squad is full of experienced players, world-class stars, and match-winners. Chopra also mentioned how talented players like Yashasvi Jaiswal are struggling to even get a spot in the team, which shows how strong India’s lineup is in the format.
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Nikhil Chopra said on NDTV: “No disrespect to the Pakistan side, but if you look at their team and ask any kid on the streets to name their top three or top four players, some of these kids, even die-hard cricket fans who follow the T20 format, won’t know the names. But if you ask them about the ’90s cricket heroes from Pakistan, they’ll remember.”
He further said, “The difference is, when you look at the 11 or you look at the 15 for India, there are match winners, experienced players, and world-beating stars. The Indian team, whether you view it from an IPL perspective or in terms of T20 performances, is stacked with talent. Somebody like Yashasvi Jaiswal has not even got an opportunity in the 15, so you can imagine the good headache Ajit Agarkar and the rest of the team management have.”
Nikhil Chopra warns Pakistan’s spin attack may struggle if India chases in Dubai
Meanwhile, Chopra also pointed out that dew could play a significant role in the India vs Pakistan clash on Sunday. With the Dubai pitch likely to produce subtle dew in the second innings, India might prefer chasing to make life harder for Pakistan’s four-spinner attack, reckoned Chopra.
Dew could make the ball skid, reducing the turn for Pakistan’s spinners and giving India’s batsmen a clear advantage, and the former cricketer stressed that their strategy of relying mostly on spin and only one medium pacer might backfire in the Asia Cup 2025 clash.
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And India can exploit this by promoting the aggressive batters to maximize scoring during the early overs. The commentator also predicted that the Men in Blue will crush the Men in Green in the blockbuster clash in Dubai.
It is 70-30 in favor of India: Nikhil Chopra
Chopra signed off by saying, “If they are playing just that one medium-pacer, they’ll find it even tougher with the four spinners that they’re looking to play. If there’s dew, it’ll be tougher for them. It is 70-30 in favor of India.”
Notably, both teams are coming into this match after winning their first games against the UAE and Oman, respectively, in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
Well, the Indian cricket team has already arrived at the stadium for the game, but the venue was 90% empty of a crowd over an hour before the toss.
