Ex-opening batsman Aakash Chopra suggests India not to support a strongly spinned pitch for the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam. He points out, with India’s batting unit’s current performance, a fair surface could improve the home team’s winning odds.
The five-game Test series is 1-0 in England’s favor. The first match saw India lose by 28 runs to England in Hyderabad. India could only manage 202 runs while pursuing 231 in their second inning. Upcoming game suffers potential hindrances, with key player KL Rahul and experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja benched due to injuries.
Chopra stated on his YouTube channel that, given the circumstances, developing a rank turner for Visakhapatnam did not seem like a wise decision.
“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.”
Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra Added:
“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.”
Aakash Chopra
Chopra recognized that on a good surface, England will attack India hard, but encouraged the hosts to select wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and hope that he will confuse England’s batsmen.
“Of their last three Tests at home, India have not won even one” – Aakash Chopra
Following the defeat in Hyderabad, India is now winless in their previous three home Tests. They have two losses and one tie. The hosts lost the Indore Test to Australia on a rank turner, drew the Ahmedabad Test on a level field, and were defeated by England in Hyderabad.
Chopra acknowledged that India’s dismal results in previous home Tests are reason 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.”
“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
India got the upper hand in Hyderabad after establishing a 190-run first-innings advantage. But Ollie Pope 196 turned the Test around, as Hartley bowled England to win with a seven-fer on debut.