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“He has already become a 4-5 crore player” – Aakash Chopra lauds Odean Smith’s performance in the 2nd India vs West Indies ODI
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“He has already become a 4-5 crore player” – Aakash Chopra lauds Odean Smith’s performance in the 2nd India vs West Indies ODI

By Adam D Anglo

Aakash Chopra feels Odean Smith will be a sought-after player at the upcoming IPL 2022 Auction.

Smith shone with both bat and ball in the second match of the ongoing ODI series against India. He first scalped the wickets of Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli and then created a slight flutter in the Indian camp by using the long handle to good effect during the West Indian run chase.

While reviewing the second ODI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra predicted a hefty sum for Smith at the upcoming mega auction. He said:

“Odean Smith – I feel he has become a half-a-million-dollar player. He has already become a 4-5 crore player because all teams will run after him.”

The former KKR player highlighted that the big-hitting all-rounder will attract a lot of attention from the franchises. Aakash Chopra reasoned:

“Overall, the skillset with which he is coming, in the IPL mega auction, he will get a lot of horns blown. He bowls, Rishabh Pant and Kohli dismissed in one over and he would have got Rahul as well, and then came to play the big shots.”

Odean Smith said “I am really excited for the IPL mega auction – hopes are really high as well”.

Smith has shown ample proof of his potential in the four ODIs he has played for the West Indies to date. The Jamaican cricketer has taken five wickets at an excellent average of 17.20 and smoked 108 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 189.47 in these games.

“The seniors in the West Indies side are not doing anything” – Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra criticized the senior batters in the West Indian lineup [P/C: BCCI]
Aakash Chopra criticized the senior batters in the West Indian lineup [P/C: BCCI]

However, Aakash Chopra expressed disappointment at the performances of Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran and Darren Bravo. He elaborated:

“The seniors in the West Indies side are not doing anything. Shai Hope – I am getting hopeless. Nicholas Pooran is not doing any job sampooran (complete). Darren Bravo – there is nothing bravo about him.”

The 44-year-old concluded by saying that the West Indies are unlikely to put up a fight unless the experienced trio rise to the occasion. Chopra observed:

“These are the three seniors and all three of them are not scoring runs. If they don’t contribute, there are very few chances of the team going ahead. So it is a big problem.”

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Hope contributed 27 runs in the second ODI but hit Yuzvendra Chahal straight down the long-on fielder’s throat. Pooran and Bravo failed to reach double digits and were both nicked off by Prasidh Krishna.

Edited by Sai Krishna

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