Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra questioned India’s balance after the second day’s play between England and India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Chopra noted that India was forced to play an all-rounder at number six as they do not have specialist batters in their squad.
India is playing with three all-rounders in the playing XI – Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Shardul Thakur. However, Chopra highlighted that India doesn’t have enough middle-order batters in their squad.
“Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja scored a few runs. However, if three all-rounders play from No. 6 to No. 8, you expect a lot of runs with the bat, but you don’t have that assurance. I am surprised that this 18-member squad, and Anshul Kamboj has been added to it, doesn’t have a middle-order batter,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra highlighted that India mostly has top-order batters in their squad, which is surprising.
“You haven’t picked anyone. You have picked all top-order batters. When Karun Nair was played at No. 6, we said that we had batted him out of position, or else he too is a No. 3 batter. Who will play down the order if everyone plays at No. 3?” he added.
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered a knee injury and Chopra reckons the visitors didn’t have an ideal replacement for him. Ravindra Jadeja was dismissed after scoring 20 runs and the commentator noted he was bound to fail after scoring four consecutive fifties.
“Suddenly, Nitish Kumar Reddy got injured, and you didn’t have a batter left with you. You said you would play Shardul in his place and make Jaddu bat at No. 6 since he was batting well, but Jaddu was expected to fail at some stage. He had scored four consecutive fifties. So he was due a failure. I felt India were a batter short,” he observed.
On the other hand, England captain Ben Stokes returned with impressive figures of 5-72, which is his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket in eight years.
“The ball moved a little more on the second day, and they (England) may have bowled a lot better. Ben Stokes needs to be praised once again here. He picked up a five-wicket haul. He bowled 24 overs. Jofra Archer, who bowled 26.1 overs, was the only bowler to bowl more overs than him, and he also picked up three wickets,” he said.
“He (Stokes) has put in his heart and soul. So he is praiseworthy on that count. He has been absolutely outstanding this series. The bat still hasn’t talked that much, but with the ball, he is just putting in the effort over after over. He has already bowled the most number of overs in a Test series in his career, with a Test and an innings to go,” Chopra elaborated.
England ended the day’s play at 225-2, trailing India by 133 runs.
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