"I am trying to figure out if it has ever happened before" - Aakash Chopra on Suryakumar Yadav's identical first-ball dismissals against Starc
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav might be the first batter to be dismissed similarly for golden ducks by the same bowler in two consecutive games.
Yadav was caught plumb in front of the wickets by Mitchell Starc as Australia bowled out India for 117 in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 19. The visitors then chased down the paltry target in just 11 overs with all 10 wickets to spare to draw parity in the three-match series.
Reflecting on India's batting performance in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav fell prey to the same mistakes they committed in the previous game, elaborating:
"Shubman Gill got out exactly in the same fashion as the last match. Suryakumar Yadav came and went - identical. I am trying to figure out if it has ever happened before that a player got out in two consecutive innings off the first ball against the same bowler and in the same fashion."
Chopra added that Rohit Sharma lost his wicket while trying to play a big shot, stating:
"Twice in a row now, Mitchell Starc's fast incoming ball strikes Suryakumar Yadav's pads and he gets out eventually, whether the umpire gives him out or not. Rohit Sharma got an outside edge. He tried to play a big shot. The ball was flying and he was caught in the slips."
Both Gill and Yadav failed to open their accounts and fell victim to Starc. Rohit Sharma scored 13 runs off 15 balls and was caught by Steve Smith at slip off the left-arm seamer's bowling.
"When Hardik Pandya got out, the Indian team were in dire straits" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra pointed out that India were in deep trouble when KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya's dismissals reduced them to 49/5, observing:
"KL Rahul also couldn't fire this time. Once again a fast incoming delivery that went and hit the pad. Then when Hardik Pandya got out, the Indian team were in dire straits. It was an outgoing delivery for him and what a catch, we saw a flying Smith."
The former Indian opener added that Virat Kohli's fighting effort also went in vain, saying:
"Virat Kohli was playing and trying to somehow save the team but he also didn't survive. He got out to Nathan Ellis' ball. It was a full ball, he played across and it hit his pads."
Chopra concluded by observing that the Indian lower order too didn't provide much resistance and that they were bowled out for an underwhelming score:
"India were 71/6 and then it became 91/7 when Ravindra Jadeja got out to an away-going delivery. After that, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami - everyone got out - and overall the team scored 117, out of which Kohli scored 31 and Axar Patel 29."
Rohit Sharma accepts Team India’s batting limitation against Australia in the 2nd ODI 🏏
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Mitchell Starc (5/53) was the wrecker-in-chief for Australia. Sean Abbott (3/23) and Nathan Ellis (2/13) also played their roles to perfection.