Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels India can still bounce back in the opening Test match against New Zealand despite a horrid show on the second day’s play at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Thursday.
Rohit decided to bat first on a cloudy morning but India was skittled for a paltry score of 46 runs, which is their lowest-ever Test score in home conditions. Five Indian batters could not even open their account as New Zealand pacers made merry of the conditions.
Meanwhile, Chopra said India has got the batting depth and expects them to bounce back with a much-improved batting show in the second essay. The Kiwis currently have a lead of 214 runs and still have three wickets in hand.
“When it happened in 2001, no one had thought until then that it could happen. What happened in Kanpur, we hadn’t thought that could happen as well. This match is on. I am not dreaming as of now but it’s a possibility. The 46-run innings has passed. The wicket is going to be good. The opposition bowlers who picked up 10 wickets won’t trouble you now. That’s past,” Aakash Chopra said on Colors Cineplex.
“Now the spin that will come will be Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel. You should back yourselves. Even your No. 8 batter has six centuries. So if you play like that, you might score 400-450. However, to reach there, you have to stop them first because if they reach a situation where they can declare, India will lose this match,” Chopra added.
The renowned commentator wants Indian bowlers to not give easy runs to New Zealand batters on the third day.
“You will have to bowl with discipline because so many runs have been scored already. You want to keep them in check. They shouldn’t get easy runs. If you have to drag a little, do that as well,” he said.
“You will have to bowl with discipline because so many runs have been scored already. You want to keep them in check. They shouldn’t get easy runs. If you have to drag a little, do that as well,” he said.
“You will definitely see one thing in New Zealand’s batting, whenever they have played spin, the thinking has been to keep scoring runs, whether by playing reverse sweeps, sweeps or cuts. When batters are ready to do that, your responsibility is that the game shouldn’t move forward that quickly,” Chopra observed.
India is on the back foot and they will have their work cut in Bengaluru.
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