Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra, who is well-known for his successful domestic career, faced difficulties on the international front in addition to his domestic achievements. Chopra was a dependable and strong opening batsman who was instrumental in the Ranji Trophy victory for his state team, Delhi.
Despite playing ten Test matches and amassing 437 runs with an average of 23, he was never able to prove himself at the highest level of the game. His extremely brief Test career was caused by his lack of accomplishments in international cricket as well as the rise of other excellent openers. Let’s examine some of his best Test cricket performances.
Aakash Chopra’s top 3 performances in Test Cricket
3. Aakash Chopra vs New Zealand (52 in 2003)
Aakash Chopra showed why he deserved his chance in the Indian cricket team as he helped the team, who seemed to be in a disastrous position. New Zealand had enforced the follow-on on India and with only 60 overs remaining in the day, India’s only option was to bat for as long as possible. Their case was not helped by the early wickets as India found themselves struggling at 18 for 3.
The former Kolkata Knight Riders batter showed exactly why his domestic performances were not a fluke. He battled on for 160 balls and got his second half-century of the match. Chopra ensured that his side was out of trouble but he could not stay till the end to ensure that. He was the last wicket to fall on the day as Paul Wiseman got him but till that time the game was heading for a draw.
2. Aakash Chopra vs Australia (48 in 2003)
In the third Test of the 2003/04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India opted to bat first on a sluggish Melbourne wicket. Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag proved exactly why India’s decision was the right one. The opening duo looked lethal and locked in against the powerful Australian attack on home soil.
Chopra’s resistance at one end ensured that Sehwag was allowed to play his natural attacking game. The two Delhi-born openers had a mammoth partnership of 141 runs and Chopra just missed out on his third half-century in Test cricket by two runs. The stand ensured that India had the right foundation to score a big score at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first innings.
1. Aakash Chopra vs New Zealand (60 in 2003)
This was the perfect start to Aakash Chopra’s career as he made a fifty on his debut and it came under great pressure as well. New Zealand had already posted a mammoth 630 runs in the first innings and Chopra ensured that he and Sehwag gave India the perfect start in the second innings.
At the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, the Delhi-born batter scored 60 runs in 148 balls. Moreover, he seemed to be the perfect opening partner for Virender Sehwag in the long run as well. He and Sehwag scored 164 runs for the opening wicket partnership before Daryl Tuffy scalped the wicket of Chopra.
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