IND vs SA 2022: "It was very difficult to digest"- Aakash Chopra on India's top-order failure in 1st ODI

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra wasn't pleased with the way the Indian top order handled South African pacers in the first ODI at Lucknow on Thursday. The hosts lost their first four wickets for just 51 runs and couldn't even maintain a run rate of above three an over.

Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill were dismissed very early and then it was a struggle for the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad (19(42)) and Ishan Kishan (20(37)). They didn't show any real intent to score and that allowed the Proteas to keep the pressure intact.

Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, here's what Aakash Chopra had to say about India's batting performance:

"Our top four were dismissed so easily in the last game and it was very difficult to digest. They needed to take on more responsibility because you only had Shreyas and Samson to follow. You may have Washington too in the upcoming game, but you need to bat more responsibly."

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Aakash Chopra on India's poor fielding

India's fielding has been ordinary for quite a while now and it was once again on display in the first ODI. The Men in Blue lost by nine runs and it can be said that those runs could have been saved had they held onto their catches.

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JK

@duraijagadeesh

#INDvsSA #IndvsSAodi This guy should be fielding for Team India , poor Avesh Khan

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#INDvsSA #IndvsSAodi This guy should be fielding for Team India , poor Avesh Khan https://t.co/dFWqurK7Em

On this, Aakash Chopra stated:

"We have been dropping too many catches. First Indore and now Lucknow. Can't believe there has been such a poor catching record of late."

It will be interesting to see if the hosts make any changes to their line-up ahead of the second ODI in Ranchi.

India's ODI squad: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Rajat Patidar, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar.

South Africa's ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (C), Keshav Maharaj (VC), Quinton de Kock (wk), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi.

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