IND vs AUS 2023: Delhi Test crucial for David Warner as murmurs have started about him, says Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra reckons the Delhi Test match will be crucial for David Warner as murmurs have started about him. Warner could only return with scores of 1 and 10 in the opening Test match against Australia at Nagpur and he is under the pump to deliver the goods for the team.

The left-hander hasn’t been in the best of forms in the recent past, except for scoring a double century in the pink-ball Test match against South Africa. The southpaw has all the experience under his belt and he will be looking to make the most of it.

Warner has amassed only 399 runs in nine Test matches in India at a paltry average of 22.16 and he will need to turn the tables in the second game of the series to help Australia make a comeback and also keep his place in the team.

“In batting, there will be pressure on David Warner to score runs as murmurs have started in the Australian media about whether he should be dropped. He has not scored runs in India. Ashwin has his number. So it is an extremely crucial game for him,” Aakash Chopra told in his YouTube show.

Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja was also in rich form before the first Test match against India but the southpaw was dismissed for only one and five in each of the two innings of the opening Test. Khawaja had scored 496 runs in three Test matches against Pakistan but failed to carry the same form against India.

“Usman Khawaja came after scoring plenty of runs in Pakistan. He has set the stage on fire in the last 12 months, but he has been cold here. There will be a focus on him once again. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are the two important pillars of their batting,” Chopra added.

The renowned commentator feels Travis Head will replace either Peter Handscomb or Matt Renshaw in India’s final XI.

“There will be changes in this team. You might see Travis Head in place of either Matt Renshaw or Peter Handscomb. Cameron Green can probably play in place of Scott Boland, and they can bowl a fast bowler from just one end, although Boland bowled better than Pat Cummins, but Cummins is the captain, so he will play,” he added.

The second Test match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi from Friday onwards.