"If there is slight help from the pitch, this young Indian team is probably not fully ready" - Aakash Chopra on collapse in IND vs NZ 2024 2nd Test
Aakash Chopra has noted that the Indian Test side has been found wanting when confronted with slightly bowler-friendly surfaces. He pointed out that Rohit Sharma and company have endured multiple batting collapses on such pitches.
India were bowled out for 156 in their first innings in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune on Friday, October 25. The visitors were 198/5 in their second innings at Stumps, with a lead of 301 runs heading into Day 3.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Chopra was asked about his thoughts on India's collapse.
"The truth is that if there is slight help from the pitch, this young Indian team is probably not fully ready. If the pitch is good, they play well. When you played against Bangladesh (in Chennai), you were 36/3 in the first hour of the first day, and then 140/6. That was Bangladesh, remember," he responded.
The former India opener highlighted that the hosts were bundled out cheaply on Friday even though the pitch wasn't a square turner.
"If you see the first day (in Bengaluru), when the pitch was slightly challenging, the Indian team got out for 46. Here also, when it was a slightly challenging pitch, I won't say this is a rank turner, I won't also say this pitch is unplayable, you were bundled out for 156," Chopra observed.
Chopra pointed out that New Zealand had scored nearly 200 runs for the loss of only five wickets in their second innings against a superior bowling lineup. He added that it implies that the pitch is not bad and India should have played better.
"We have to blame ourselves" - Aakash Chopra on India's dismissals
![Virat Kohli was bowled off a full toss. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/42c69-17298712955621-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra noted that the Indian batters should be blamed for their dismissals.
"We have to blame ourselves. If we see all the dismissals one by one, Shubman Gill was getting troubled for a long time by the straight balls. If you see Virat Kohli, the pitch had no role in it. It was a full toss. After that, we saw Sarfaraz (Khan). The field placement for him was very good, you will have to agree to that," he elaborated.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Indian batters are no longer as good against spin as they used to be.
"The spin bowling was disciplined. I won't say it was extraordinary but disciplined for sure. However, the field placements have been very interesting. The Indian team is reminding us once again that we used to say that we play spin well but honestly, we don't play spin that well now," Chopra observed.
Ravindra Jadeja top-scored for India in their first innings with a 46-ball 38. Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 off 60) and Shubman Gill (30 off 72) were the only other batters to score more than 20 runs.