After winning two back-to-back Tests in Nagpur and Delhi, team India suffered a nine-wicket defeat in the third Test in Indore after a poor batting performance. The Rohit Sharma-led side was on the back foot from Day 1 itself and never looked to make a comeback in the match as Nathan Lyon absolutely stole the show with a 11-wicket haul in the game.
Analysing India’s game, former cricketer Aakash Chopra stated the batters lacked resilience and no one apart from Cheteshwar Pujara impressed him. Chopra said that he was happy to see Umesh Yadav picking three wickets and also lauded R Ashwin for picking three on Day 2.
“In the 3rd Test, India got success from an unlikely quarter, where Umesh Yadav took three wickets and suddenly there was a thought that they were in a good position to prevent 150 runs on the board, so Umesh Yadav helped them to pull back a little. He did some reverse swings, which got wickets, and then came Ravichandran Ashwin, who also took three wickets. But to win the match, it was very important that they had a strong opening, but they didn’t have one," said Chopra in JioCinema’s daily sports show AakashVani.
"Shubman Gill tried to hit a big one but got out on Nathan Lyon’s bowl. Rohit Sharma also got out, gets a hit on his pads, and took the DRS with him as well. Cheteshwar Pujara came and made a gritty fifty that helped India get a lead; he stood his ground and played really well, and if we look at both innings from the Indian perspective, then it came from him alone. Virat Kohli comes next, hits a six, but gets out. Then the lower order collapsed, Shreyas Iyer and one after the other, wickets fell fast. So, they lacked resilience in their team which was very much needed,” he added.
Rohit has nailed the format and has picked up the nerve of the format: Chopra
Talking more about Rohit Sharma’s batting in the longest format of the game, Chopra believes that he has improved significantly and has nailed the format. The 45-year-old also stated the Mumbai-born cricketer initially struggled to gel into the format but has become a different player.
“The format that Test cricket has, the DNA that it has, Rohit Sharma was looking for it early. Previously, he used to be a little lost, he used to hit early with his bat, but now he takes time because he is comfortable in defence and now he dictates his own flow, and that has changed everything for him because previously he couldn’t use to understand the demand of the situation. But now he has nailed the format and has picked up the nerve of the format,” Chopra added.
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