Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has highlighted India’s struggles against short-pitch deliveries in the ongoing T20I series against England. In the fourth T20I against England at County Ground, Bristol, on Thursday, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan were dismissed on short deliveries.
Sooryavanshi was dismissed after scoring 15 runs off 10 balls while trying to play the pull shot against Jofra Archer. Furthermore, Josh Tongue got rid of Ishan Kishan with a short delivery when the left-hander tried to play across the line.
“Let me start with the short ball. It’s one thing the Indian team has repeatedly been seen surrendering to. The England bowlers did a lot of short bowling. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, it’s been three knocks where he has hit shots every time, and it seemed like he would score more runs, but he hasn’t crossed 15 even once. His runs haven’t crossed his age thus far,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“He (Suryavanshi) hit one or two very good shots, but he got caught against the short ball once again. Ishan Kishan also got caught against the short ball. He got caught in the previous match and this match as well. He has had a lot of problems against the short ball,” he observed.
The former KKR batter admitted that India’s batting against short deliveries is not up to the mark.
“Abhishek Sharma’s batting was going like a run-a-ball, and then he eventually got dismissed to a delivery that wasn’t wicket-taking. We are being seen collapsing against the short ball. Our batting strategy against the short ball is not up to the mark. It is turning out to be a bit of a problem, which is being exposed,” Chopra stated.
The renowned commentator said the batting style of the Indian team looked timid in the T20I series against England.
“The Indian batting looked slightly timid. We were going at almost a run-a-ball. We scored only 71 runs in 10 overs. It’s not like we had lost a lot of wickets this time. We were saying our playing style is carefree and fearless, and that’s why we have made Vaibhav Suryavanshi a part of this team because we can run faster than this,” he said.
“However, a very timid batting approach. It seems like they are scared of getting out. A champion side’s playing style doesn’t change that radically. If we start oscillating like a car wiper, it means there is a problem. This innings was a true example of a hangover from what happened in the previous match,” Chopra observed.
The fifth T20I between India and England will be played at Rose Bowl, Southampton, on Saturday.
