Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra feels Joe Root’s shot that led to his dismissal in the second innings of the second Test between India and England was unusual one from him. However, Root danced down the track and played an ugly hoick off R Ashwin and got an outside edge and was caught by Axar Patel at backward point for a 10-ball 16 as well. India eventually won the game by 106 runs to level in the five-match series as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Joe Root is selling himself short. What shots are you playing? The shot he played in the second innings of the second match, it wasn’t a shot of a player who has scored 11,000 Test runs. He hit a four with a reverse sweep off the first ball, then another four, and a six after jumping down the track. It’s understandable if you need 40-50 runs, the wicket is very bad and you feel that you would survive if you keep hitting,”

Chopra added, “However, if the pitch is good and you have Joe Root’s class, you need to back yourself, that you can manage even if wickets are falling at the other end, and someone will have to bowl a very good ball to get you out. It was an extremely ordinary shot.”

Meanwhile, Joe Root has managed 52 runs at a dismal average of 13.00 in four innings in the ongoing series as well. He has been dismissed twice by Jasprit Bumrah and once each by Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin as well. Aakash Chopra also added that James Anderson, unlike Joe Root, stuck to his tried-and-tested methods as well.

“I found Jimmy Anderson’s bowling style very interesting. I think Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson should have a conversation. Jimmy Anderson has been able to take so many wickets because he has a process. The process is that he has to bowl at a length where you can’t hit him. You would have to take a little risk if you try to score runs against him. That is against the ethos of Bazball because you think about wickets, runs, and aggression always,” Aakash Chopra concluded.