"Ebadot was also slightly surprised" - Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer finally getting dismissed
Aakash Chopra reckons Ebadot Hossain might have been slightly surprised when Shreyas Iyer was finally dismissed in India's first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh.
Iyer had several lucky escapes before he was bowled by Hossain for 86 in Chattogram on Thursday, December 15. His knock helped the visitors post a 404-run total before they reduced the hosts to 133/8 in their first innings by Stumps on Day 2.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on India's batting performance on Thursday. Regarding Iyer, he said:
"The start of the day was not good for India. Shreyas Iyer got out in the first session. Shreyas Iyer eventually ran out of luck. It seemed he had eaten luck instead of cornflakes for breakfast. When he was bowled, I feel Ebadot was also slightly surprised."
The former Indian opener highlighted the plethora of let-offs the middle-order batter enjoyed, elaborating:
"Ebadot had dropped a straightforward catch. After that, the ball hit the stumps but the bails did not fall. The keeper had dropped a catch and he was dropped by Litton Das in the deep off a bouncer at the start of today's play."
Chopra praised Ravichandran Ashwin for playing a crucial knock, explaining:
"No one scored a century but he scored important 86 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin also scored a half-century. He already has five Test centuries and here 58 runs. These are important runs because if you want to go with five proper bowlers, your bowlers will have to contribute with the bat and he is doing that."
Ashwin scored 58 runs off 113 deliveries, a knock studded with two fours and as many sixes. He strung together a 92-run eighth-wicket partnership with Kuldeep Yadav that helped India cross the 400-run mark.
"The story of the year is Mohammed Siraj" - Aakash Chopra
Speaking about India's bowling, Chopra was all praise for Mohammed Siraj, observing:
"When we talk about the Indian bowling, the story of the year is Mohammed Siraj. He is absolutely brilliant. He has already picked up three wickets. Whenever you see him bowl, it seems the guy is giving his one hundred percent."
Siraj registered figures of 3/14 in nine overs, with Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das and Zakir Hasan being his victims. He was ably assisted by Kuldeep Yadav, who ran through the Tigers' middle and lower order to finish with figures of 4/33.