Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra criticized India’s batting performance in the second pink ball Test match against Australia. The visitors were bowled out for 180 and 175 in both innings as they suffered a 10-wicket loss at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The batters could not deliver the goods in both innings as they could not bring their best to the table. The visitors batted for 44.1 overs in the first innings and then were bundled out after 36.5 overs.
In the second innings, none of the Indian batters could not even face 50 deliveries. Nitish Kumar Reddy top-scored with 42 in both innings but the rest of the batters failed to show any gumption.
“Where did we go wrong? It’s a big question. The truth is that it was a batting failure, not once but twice. The decision to bat first was absolutely right. In the first innings when you got out for 180, you could have said that it happens. However, the second innings, the pitch had become flat now,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“There was some help in the first innings for sure. If you are not going to bat 80 overs across two innings in a Test match, that is the problem. There is not one person in the team who said he would play 80-100 balls. Not a single player played 50 balls. We are talking about 50 runs but no one played 50 balls,” Chopra added.
The renowned commentator added that the pitch wasn’t too bowling-friendly and the visitors should have come up with a better batting show.
“It wasn’t a pitch where you couldn’t have played 50 balls. It wasn’t a pitch where you couldn’t have survived for a slightly longer time. You have to bat at least one session without losing a wicket,” he observed.
Chopra added India’s batting frailties were once again exposed as the batters could not bat at their best.
“In the end, the Indian batting frailties were exposed once again. When wickets fall with the new ball, Virat Kohli is at No. 4, you are expecting a lot from Rishabh Pant but he hasn’t played a big knock so far in this series, and Rohit Sharma at No. 6, it’s not looking good. Our batting has let us down. That is the one big reason for India’s loss at Adelaide,” he said.
The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane from December 14.
