Asia Cup 2022: "We didn't try enough to take wickets" - Aakash Chopra on India's bowling in Super 4 loss to Sri Lanka
Aakash Chopra feels India's failure to look for wickets with the new ball contributed to their loss in their Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 clash against Sri Lanka.
The Men in Blue set a 174-run target for the Lankan Lions after being asked to bat first in Dubai on Tuesday, September 6. Dasun Shanaka and Co. chased down the target with six wickets and one delivery to spare to almost knock Rohit Sharma's side out of the continental tournament.
While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that India adopted a defensive approach with the new ball. He explained:
"When it was Sri Lanka's turn to chase, I had a problem there as well. The ball was swinging in the first three overs, but we didn't try enough to take wickets. We ran towards the slower ones and bowling changes very quickly."
While observing that Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis led slightly charmed lives, Chopra praised Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin for their decent performances with the ball. The former India batter said:
"Then their opening partnership - Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis - yes, luck was in their favor, but you have to do your job to make your luck. Yuzi Chahal picked up three wickets, which is actually very good. Ashwin picked up one wicket."
Nissanka and Mendis added 97 runs for the opening wicket in just 11 overs to give Sri Lanka the upper hand in the run chase. Chahal and Ashwin then accounted for four quick wickets before Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Shanaka's unbroken 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket took the five-time champions across the line.
"Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been extremely expensive in the 19th over" - Aakash Chopra
You can find the most wickets in Asia Cup 2022 list here on Sportskeeda.
Chopra added that Bhuvneshwar Kumar's expensive penultimate over left Arshdeep Singh with too much to do in the final over. He elaborated:
"Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been extremely expensive in the 19th over in two consecutive matches. Arshdeep was the pick of the bowlers in the end, he was bowling the yorkers and almost saving the match, but not good enough."
A tournament to forget for Bhuvneshwar Kumar 🤯💔
#INDvSL #AsiaCupT20 #TeamIndia https://t.co/J8IWBIWt1V
Chopra also questioned the team management's decision to go a bowler light in the game. The renowned commentator stated:
"India made one change. You dropped Ravi Bishnoi, who was a wicket-taker, and brought in Ravichandran Ashwin in place of him because the opposition team had three left-handers. Personally, I didn't subscribe to this. Going in with five bowlers, I once again don't subscribe to that opinion."
India opted to play Deepak Hooda instead of a bowler to add depth to their batting. The move didn't yield the desired results, with the batting all-rounder contributing just three runs and not getting to bowl in the game.