Chopra's outstanding performance in Mizoram's previous match against Arunachal Pradesh in Ahmedabad saw him scoring 110 and an unbeaten 238 runs. Mizoram emerged victorious in that match with a significant margin of 267 runs. Prior to his stint with Mizoram, Chopra had showcased his talent while representing Mumbai at the under-19 and under-23 levels. However, despite his impressive skills, the 25-year-old faced challenges in securing a spot in the Mumbai senior teams. In light of this, his coach Khuspreet Singh recommended that he explore opportunities with another team to gain more exposure and playing time on the field.
Started his career with a bangChopra moved to Mizoram and made his entry into first-class cricket with a bang. He racked up scores of 105, 101, 114, 10, 164, 15, 166 and 92 in his first four Ranji games. This made Chopra the first batter to score centuries in his first four first-class games, something even legends like Don Bradman couldn't achieve.
The fact remains that his scores have come against bowlers in the Plate League, which is generally inferior to what he would have faced in the 32-team Elite League. "People will say what they have to say but, at the end of the day, it's your performance and there are lot many players who are playing in the same division and not scoring that many runs. The standard is same for everyone," Chopra had told PTI last season.
"I think I am trying to be in present and my aim is to take Mizoram to Elite division. If we are in Elite division, then there is nothing to think about in terms of quality of bowling and I will play for Mizoram." While the top 32 teams in the domestic circuit play in four groups of the Elite League, six other teams, five of which are from the north-east region, feature in the Plate League.
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