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Aakash Chopra questions India’s spin bowling in England’s 2nd innings
By SMCS - Jan 29, 2024 9:37 am
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Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded Jasprit Bumrah for bowling an amazing spell in England’s second innings of the first Test against India in Hyderabad. But he has also raised questions on the Indian spinners for their lack of potency. However, England posted 420 runs in their second innings despite Bumrah’s 4/41 in 16.1 overs. And, England then bundled India out for 202 on Day 4 (Sunday) to register a 28-run win.

Team India
Team India

Reflecting on the fourth day’s play in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Bumrah picked up four wickets. It was the fourth day of a Test match in India where the talk was about the turn, there your fast bowler picked up four wickets, and six wickets in the entire match. You had superior spin but the opposing spinners took 18 Indian wickets and the Indian spinners could take only 14 wickets. In the second innings, the Indian spinners could pick up only six wickets. That was a bit of a problem in my opinion. Jasprit Bumrah is phenomenal, there is no doubt about that, but what are the others doing – that’s a question.”

Notably, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel scalped six wickets and gave away 331 runs in the 79 overs they bowled in England’s second innings as well. Meanwhile, pacer Mohammed Siraj went wicketless in the seven overs he bowled in the second innings as well. Aakash Chopra also questioned Team India’s defensive approach in the field placements on the fourth morning as well.

Team India
Team India

“The Indian team were thinking that 230 is not that big a score. That’s why, they allowed singles to be taken easily. The mid-on and mid-off were back and everyone was waiting for a wicket to fall. They waited before taking the new ball as well,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “The opposing team showed that they can take you on. They would think that if they had played better in the first innings, they could have troubled India even more. They did this after conceding a lead of 190 runs.”