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Aakash Chopra ( Image Credit: Twitter)
As India lost the three-match Test series to South Africa, several of their tactics and strategies were questionable, to say the least. One of them being their decision to play five bowlers.
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As their batting was below-par throughout the three Tests, the visitors could have added an extra batter instead of the fifth bowling option. Besides, the Kohli-led side breached the 300-run mark just once in the series. Thus, the cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra criticized this decision.
He felt that India were adamant about not playing the extra batter. While speaking on his YouTube channel, he was critical of the Asian side's decision to play just five batters. Chopra also cited the fact that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane weren't scoring runs on a consistent basis.
Eventually, you need runs: Aakash Chopra
"If your batting is misfiring consistently, then why are you so rigid? Why are you so adamant that you will play five bowlers always. Rahane is not scoring runs; Pujara is not scoring runs; Kohli has not scored a century, but still, we play five batters. We are not at all ready to play a sixth batter. I mean this was slight stubbornness that we will do like this only," said Aakash Chopra.
It is to be noted that the visitors failed to defend a 200+ target in the fourth innings twice. Thus, the former Indian opener also felt that despite having an idea of scoring 220-225 and having five bowlers to pick contain the opposition, that didn't happen. He also laid stress on how one needs runs, and when the conditions are bowling-friendly and the opposition batters are "slightly weak", one doesn't need five bowlers.
"What happened even after doing this? The total idea of this was that even if your team scores 200-225, you have five bowlers, and you will save that but you could not do that. Eventually, you need runs. When there is help in the pitch, and the opposing side's batting is slightly weak, you don't need five bowlers," he said.