Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned critics who criticized India opener KL Rahul for giving Akash Deep the strike in the final over of Day 4 in the third Test against England as well. He said that Rahul would have been foolish had he retained strike and gotten out himself as well. However, India faced a 22-run loss in the third Test against England at Lord’s.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “13 minutes were left. Personally, I am not a huge fan of nightwatchman. I feel if a batter can’t do the job, how can a nightwatchman do it? I am not a fan of it, but it’s an individual decision. I respect that as well. Every person sees it differently.”

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“When Akash Deep came, he had only one job to do. He had to protect his wicket, keep his partner away from strike, and not let the next batter come. That’s his only duty in life. In the last over, if KL Rahul finds a single off the first ball, he must take it. If he doesn’t take a single, stands there only, and gets out himself, that would be foolish. That is just common sense,” he further added.

However, Aakash Chopra also slammed the critics for trolling KL Rahul, terming them nameless and shameless too as well.

“I am shocked beyond my understanding. Either they are lockdown kids who haven’t seen or understood cricket properly, and have an opinion about everything. They are nameless and slightly shameless. Rahul was trolled so much. I was like, what is the nightwatchman’s job?” he said.

“He got out to the last ball, but he did his job. He survived for 13 minutes. KL Rahul was not out at the other end, and he didn’t let Rishabh Pant come in. So Akash Deep did what he was asked to do. This is what the nightwatchman’s job is,” Aakash Chopra concluded.