"I mean, seriously" - Aakash Chopra on Suryakumar Yadav batting at No. 7 in 3rd IND vs AUS ODI

Aakash Chopra has questioned Team India for batting Suryakumar Yadav at No. 7 in the third and final ODI against Australia in Chennai on Wednesday, March 22.

The Men in Blue bowled out the Aussies for 269 after Steve Smith opted to bat first in the series decider. The hosts, who made a few changes to their batting order, including demoting Suryakumar to No. 7, were then skittled out for 248 and lost the match by 21 runs.

While reflecting on India's innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra criticized the team management for not sending Suryakumar Yadav at his customary batting position, stating:

"Surya came at No. 7, I mean, seriously. It was slightly beyond my understanding. If you are saying you have faith in him, then show faith. This is not faith that you want to play him but will send him at No. 7."

The former Indian opener highlighted the Mumbai batter's horrendous run in the three-match series, observing:

"It might have happened for the first time in ODI history that a guy scored three consecutive golden ducks and the bat did not make contact with the ball even once - lbw twice and bowled the third time. This is what is called a bad time."

Speaking about the start of the run chase, Chopra pointed out that Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a flying start, elaborating:

"India started in an explosive fashion. Rohit Sharma was running at a strike rate of 200 at one stage. Absolutely all guns blazing but got out after scoring 30 runs off 17 balls. Shubman Gill, who was playing well, scored 37."

Rohit and Shubman added 65 runs in just nine overs. However, both openers were dismissed in the space of a few overs, which brought Australia back into the game.

"It is slightly rare that Kohli gets out after scoring a fifty in a run chase" - Aakash Chopra

Virat Kohli was the only half-centurion in the game. [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that it was one of the rare occasions when Virat Kohli failed to take India to a win in a run chase after having scored a half-century:

"Kohli scored a half-century. It is slightly rare that Kohli gets out after scoring a fifty in a run chase. He gave himself time, played 72 balls, so he played cautiously as it was not a big total. He hit only two fours and a six and got dismissed while trying to play a chip shot off Agar."

I somehow feel Virat Kohli's wicket was the main cause of yesterday's loss, he knows he can take on pacers in last 5-7 overs. There was not need to go against Agar. If he was there till the end India would have comfortably chased down the target.
#INDvAUS #ViratKohli #AUSvsIND

Chopra concluded by observing that the match went beyond India's reach once the last recognized pair of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja were dismissed by Adam Zampa, saying:

"Zampa had already taken two wickets - Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. When he came for his last spell, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, who had the reins of the Indian team in their hands, they needed a run-a-ball 80-odd runs, which should have been scored, but they weren't because both got out to Zampa, and the rest was a formality."

India needed 85 runs off 88 deliveries when Jadeja joined Hardik in the middle. The duo added 33 runs for the seventh wicket in a little over eight overs before both succumbed while trying to play big shots due to the mounting required run rate.