Watch: Rajasthan left-arm pacer helps Rohit Sharma and co. to tackle Shaheen Afridi in Asia Cup 2023

Rohit Sharma and co. are currently in a camp at Alur preparing for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.

Left-arm pacers have been a nightmare for Indian top-order batters in recent years. Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Shaheen Afridi, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammed Amir, and a few other left-arm pacers have made the Indian top-order struggle with their pace and movement. Team India are set to take on Pakistan on September 2 at Pallekele Stadium in Kandy. Pakistan’s opening bowler Shaheen Afridi is a left-arm pacer, and team India are focusing on him before their much-anticipated battle in Asia Cup 2023. Team India, at their conditioning camp in Alur, Karnataka, are focusing on taking on the left arm challenge ahead of the two upcoming big tournaments.

Aniket Chaudhary called in

Indian captain Rohit Sharma and opener KL Rahul have batted against 33-year-old, tall Rajasthani pacer Aniket Chaudhary to prepare for the Shaheen challenge. 33-year-old Aniket Chaudhary may not pose the same threat as Shaheen as he has lesser speed and might not get the late movement as Shaheen does, but having a tall bowler bowl against Rohit, Rahul, and Virat will make them prepare for the upcoming challenge. Aniket Chaudhary has played 75 first-class games, 34 List-A games, and 72 T20 games for his state side, Rajasthan. Chaudhary is known for his high delivery stride and gets some extra bounce off the wicket.

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Dismal record against left-arm pacers

Shaheen Afridi sent both Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul early with his full-length in-swing delivery in the T20 World Cup game in 2021 in Dubai. Shaheen got Rohit on a golden duck, while Rahul was out on just three runs. He got Rahul castled in his second over of the spell. Similarly, Trent Boult made them struggle in the World Cup semi-final in 2019 at Old Trafford. Boult didn’t get them out, but his brutal full-inswingers got Virat Kohli plumb in front, and Rohit and Rahul also departed early due to the pressure created by him. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final, Mohammad Amir got Rohit and Kohli similarly in his first two overs.

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi got 29 right-hand batters wickets in his last 20 ODI innings. Shaheen will play a key role in Pakistan’s campaign against India as well as in the Asia Cup and World Cup 2023. Not only Shaheen, but most of the teams have tried to attack Indian openers with a left-arm pacers who get an early movement off the wicket. Team India will have to worry about the big names not only in the Asia Cup but also in the World Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma will be opening the innings with Shubman Gill and KL Rahul is shifted to number 5, while Kohli still bats at 3.

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