"Did you have to catch the evening flight?" - Aakash Chopra on Australia's annihilation of India in 2nd ODI
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Australia seemed to be in a hurry to finish the game in the second ODI against India in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 19.
The Aussie seamers first bowled out Rohit Sharma and Co. for a paltry 117 after Steve Smith asked them to bat first. Their openers then chased down the target in just 11 overs without getting separated to hand the Men in Blue a harrowing loss.
While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the Aussie openers hammered the hosts during their run chase, elaborating:
"What was the hurry? Did you have to catch the evening flight? Did you have to go somewhere else? Were you not liking Vizag as a city? Who does like that? The match was over in 11 overs. Even T20s go longer than this. Australia totally demolished us."
Chopra reckons the mauling might have left the Indian team in a state of shock, observing:
"They started hitting from the first over and they hit a lot. It seemed they will turn the white ball red with their hitting. Mitchell Marsh was on one side and Travis Head on the other. You get shaken up after such a beating."
None of the Indian bowlers managed to keep the marauding Australian openers in check. Only Axar Patel (8.33) and Mohammad Shami (9.67) had an economy of less than 10 runs per over.
"Who will dismiss the guy if you get such flat pitches?" - Aakash Chopra on Mitchell Marsh
Aakash Chopra feels Mitchell Marsh will be unstoppable if he continues to get to bat on placid tracks, stating:
"I am seeing Mitchell Marsh from two perspectives. Once he gets fit, he will bowl as well. If you get a gun opener like that, who just takes the attack to the opposition, it is a different level. Who will dismiss the guy if you get such flat pitches?"
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Delhi Capitals would want Marsh to carry his swashbuckling form into IPL 2023, reasoning:
"Mitchell Marsh only can get himself out, no one else will be able to do that, because he has so much power. Secondly, it is extremely important for the Delhi Capitals that he maintains this form because Rishabh Pant is not there. So it is absolutely imperative for Marsh, David Warner and Prithvi Shaw to fire."
India & Delhi Capitals fans watching this Mitchell Marsh innings...
#INDvAUS https://t.co/Qulfu2JTug
Chopra also praised Travis Head for playing an almost equally attacking knock at the other end, saying:
"Travis Head was at the other end. His stature is also going only in one direction. He was opening with Warner earlier in ODI cricket. Warner is not available as of now, so this guy is going at a different level. He hit Mohammed Siraj for four fours off as many balls."
Marsh smoked an unbeaten 66 off 36 balls, a knock studded with six fours and as many sixes. Head did not hit a maximum but struck 10 fours in his 30-ball unbeaten 51.