Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has questioned India’s batting order after the collapse in the second ODI against England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, on Thursday. Chopra wondered why the team management is backing Shivam Dube if he is batting at the number eight position.

India was going strongly at 178-3 at one stage with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer at the crease. However, the visitors veered off the track as they were skittled out for a below-par score of 233 in 44 overs. The Indian batters were troubled by short deliveries as the likes of Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar were all dismissed on short balls.

“It was going well when we got to bat first. Shubman Gill was batting very well. Rohit Sharma was scratchy. He played till the 18th over to score 26 runs. Virat Kohli missed out in the first match for sure, but he was batting beautifully. We were 178/3 at one stage. After that, 233 all out. How do we do this? Such a collapse was strange,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“Ishan Kishan couldn’t play well. After that, we kept Shivam Dube at No. 8 in the batting order. It’s beyond my understanding. If you are making Shivam Dube a No. 8 player, then why are you playing him? Either you are thinking that there won’t be a collapse at all and that we would send him in the last 10 overs, if required, or else we would send him when we would have sent everyone,” he added.

The renowned commentator said Shivam Dube should have batted higher in the order in the second ODI. Dube was dismissed for a golden duck as he was caught and bowled by Jofra Archer.

“That’s not how you prepare an all-rounder. He is being made to bowl overs for sure. However, the truth is that Shivam Dube shouldn’t go at No. 8. I get it that Washington Sundar and Axar Patel scored runs in the last match, but I still felt Shivam Dube could have been sent slightly up the order,” he observed.

The decider of the three-match series between England and India will be played at Lord’s on Sunday.