Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that Virat Kohli once again fell prey to a delivery outside the off-stump in India’s first innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 fifth Test. He added that the ace Indian batter has been retained in the playing XI despite having an inferior record than Rohit Sharma in the last four years as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said: “Virat Kohli again got out outside off. It’s been an entire series. You might say that I should talk more about (Shubman) Gill but he didn’t play the first and fourth Tests. He has played two or three knocks and there also he looked decent. Yashasvi Jaiswal was wow in the last Test match and (KL) Rahul has had a decent series.”

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“There are a lot of expectations from Virat Kohli. He has scored a hundred for sure but he hasn’t scored the runs after that. He is with the bowlers if you see the first-innings average in 2024. Rohit Sharma has made himself sit out. Of course, his form has gone drastically but if you see the last four years, Rohit Sharma has actually fared a little better,” Chopra further added.

Reflecting on the rest of the Indian batting in the same video, Aakash Chopra said that Shubman Gill’s dismissal should hurt the team as well.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul got out at the start. After that, Shubman Gill got out to spin and that should hurt. It’s okay to get out to a fast bowler on this pitch. I am not denying that Nathan Lyon is a good bowler but Shubman Gill is a much better player than that. He shouldn’t get out against spin on such a pitch,” he added.

“Rishabh Pant tried to play differently. Probably his playing style changed based on what he had been told. However, he got out and Nitish Kumar Reddy got out off the next ball. Washington Sundar was fighting well. Again 50-50 on that dismissal also, especially since the on-field umpire’s decision was reversed,” Aakash Chopra concluded.