IND vs ENG: Don’t get overexcited and go for a turning pitch” - Aakash Chopra ahead of the 2nd Test

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes that Team India should refrain from preparing a rank turner for the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam as this could backfire on them. Saying that the Indian batting unit’s lack of form, he added that a decent surface would augment their chances of victory.

However, Team India started with a loss in the five-match Test series, having gone down to England by 28 runs in Hyderabad. Chasing 231, they were all out for 202 in their second innings. Now, they have faced multiple setbacks ahead of the second Test, with senior batter KL Rahul and veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ruled out due to injury.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “There is a problem with self-doubt. If we prepare a good pitch, they [England] play better than us. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer are in poor form. We do not have Rahul. Virat Kohli was already absent. Ravindra Jadeja, the all-rounder is also not there. Suddenly, you are stuck. I feel they should play on a good pitch. Don’t get overexcited and go for a turning pitch. Your batters do not have form. In such a situation, the spinners of both sides become equally effective. They do not have accuracy, but how does it matter? Tom Hartley begins bowling like Bishan Bedi and Joe Root becomes Muttiah Muralitharan.”

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Aakash Chopra stated that on a decent surface, England will come hard at India, but asked the hosts to select wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and hope that he can do well against England’s batters.

Following the defeat in Hyderabad, Team India are now winless in their last three home Tests as well. Analyzing Team India’s disappointing performances in recent home Tests, Chopra added that there is cause for concern.

“Of their last three Tests at home, India have not won even one. In fact, they have lost two, while one match ended in a draw. They prepared a rank turner in Indore and it backfired even though Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were available. India then prepared a flat pitch in Ahmedabad and the boring match ended nin a draw,” he said.“For Hyderabad, the pitch was a decent one. It could have been better to be fair. Maybe there was a bit too much turn on Day 1. There is bounce and pace in Hyderabad and I feel there was an attempt to nullify that, which was not ideal,” Aakash Chopra concluded.