Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned Ben Stokes for batting relatively down the order in the first two Tests between India and England. However, Stokes has scored 134 runs at an average of 33.50 in four innings. While England won the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, India drew level in the series by registering a convincing 106-run win in the second game in Visakhapatnam on Monday, February 5.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “When you see Ben Stokes bat, you say he is not part of this Bazball concept. You are this team’s captain, you are not bowling, and you are the only left-hander after Ben Duckett in the top six, so why not bat up the order? Take the bull by its horns but he doesn’t do that. Go and fight from the front as you are the captain but he always comes at No. 6. He bats with the tail and even when he is batting with the tail, he is batting on 10-12 runs off 30 balls at times.”

However, Aakash Chopra added that Stokes doesn’t show any urgency while batting. He also stated that he is not thinking about that at all when it comes to his batting. Aakash Chopra also added Ben Stokes is avoiding criticism by batting down the order as well.

“You don’t go to bat up the order. No one talks about it but they should. If you bat with the tail, you become a hero if you score runs and if you get out, you say what could he have done with the tail? He is too good a player to become a part of that conversation. The conversation should be that he came at No. 4 or No. 5 and that he controls the match. The day he scores runs, they will be game-winning, and if he gets out, he has let the team down. That should be the conversation. The earlier conversation does not make sense,” Aakash Chopra concluded.