Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra weighed in on England’s torrid batting display on the third day of Rajkot. He believes the batting was a big disappointment and Joe Root was the model for them.
England let the game slip away from them with their poor batting performance in the ongoing third Test on Day 3. They did not bat well and gave away their wickets, which saw India take wickets at regular intervals and dominate the game.
Most of England’s batsmen gave away their wickets and were bowled out for 319 runs. Joe Root was the first man to be dismissed because he played a reverse scoop and got caught in the slips. After that, the batsmen died while playing attacking shots.
Starting at 224/2, the visitors scored 319 runs. It was a remarkable performance by the Indian bowlers as they helped the team take the lead by 126 runs. With the kind of position England found themselves in at the end of Day 2, they would only have themselves to blame.
Aakash Chopra, while talking about England’s performance, expressed his disappointment with Joe Root for coming out in a strange manner. He hilariously commented that the batsman tried to play a shot like a character from the movie Lagaan. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, he explained:
“England’s batting was a big disappointment, and in that, their model was Joe Root. All of England is angry with him for the shot he took. India and England faced each other for the first time in the film Lagaan. He tried to bat like Guran did in that film and against Jasprit Bumrah.”
“Think about it, no one can play with a straight bat against Bumrah and he tried to play the shot that Guran played and was finally caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal. It was a good catch, but Root, what are you doing?
Miyan Magic (Mohammed Siraj) was fantastic: Aakash Chopra amazed by the fast bowler
Mohammed Siraj was India’s hero with the ball. The fast bowler changed the game in India’s favor with his four-wicket haul and put his team in a commanding position.
Aakash Chopra said the fast bowler was fantastic and stood up for his team when needed. The cricketer-turned-commentator added that it was a slow pitch and changed the game for his team. The express:
“Miyan Magic (Mohammed Siraj) was fantastic. He picked up four wickets. Long periods of bowling were required as there were only four bowlers. The Indian team decided that they would bowl only the fast bowlers from one end.”
“So Bumrah’s spell was followed by Mohammed Siraj’s. He changed the game because there is not much help for fast bowlers in this field. It is a slightly slow tone. The ball does not go fast after the throw.”
At Stumps on Day 3, India were 196/2 and 322 runs ahead. They would hope to reach about 400 runs.
