Former India player Aakash Chopra has said that head coach Gautam Gambhir was right in backing the Indian team’s lower-order batters after their defeat in the first Test against England. However, he added that the lower order needs to contribute now and expressed scepticism about their ability to do so as well. Notably, India faced a five-wicket defeat in the first Test against India in Leeds.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Others’ tails wag, but ours is so tiny, and it falls quickly. Gautam Gambhir was asked some questions in the press conference. The answer to one question was that they are trying, and that the top order also gets out at times. That’s what the coach should say. However, when you see the quality of batting, whether it’s Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna or Jasprit Bumrah, and even if Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep come, I don’t think there can be a sudden upgrade. If there is no upgrade, your batting is weak. Your tail is a proper tail, which doesn’t work in modern-day cricket.”

While talking about former England captain Michael Vaughan’s claim that Ben Duckett is the best all-format player right now, Aakash Chopra said that the legendary duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirement from Tests and T20Is might have allowed him to say that as well.

“He is saying that Ben Duckett is the world’s best all-format player. I feel that as soon as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired, he said Duckett’s name can be put. At times, a very good way of making your line longer is by erasing the other’s line,” he said.

“He is a quality player, but is he the best across three formats? Is he the best just because of the lack of choices? He plays high-risk cricket but is scoring runs in all three formats. He has scored runs home and away. He scored runs in India too. So he has a case, but is he already the best all-format player in the world right now? I think the jury is still out,” Aakash Chopra concluded.