"Pujara is looking a little shaky and the same can be said about Ajinkya Rahane" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have looked slightly vulnerable in the middle of late.
While Pujara was dismissed for just nine runs on the first day of the Lord's Test, Rahane managed just a solitary run in India's first innings. This failure extends the series of low scores from the two batsmen in the recent past.
While reviewing India's batting performance on the second day in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra termed Pujara and Rahane's consistent failures a matter of concern. He elaborated:
"India's No.3 and No.5 problem is still there but it is getting hidden slightly because the others are doing well. But the fact is that Pujara is looking uncertain, a little shaky, and the same can be said about Ajinkya Rahane."
The cricketer-turned-commentator hoped that the duo would regain their form quickly. Aakash Chopra said:
"Ajinkya Rahane got out on the first ball. Jimmy Anderson - it was a delivery outside off, played and got caught in the slips. I used to call one of them dependable and the other consistent but currently, their wagon is stuck somewhat. I really hope that they get back on track."
Pujara has a top score of 21 in his last ten Test innings. The Indian vice-captain has also not covered himself in glory since his match-defining century in the Boxing Day Test as skipper.
"Rishabh Pant will say that he missed an opportunity" - Aakash Chopra
While lauding Rishabh Pant for his aggressive knock, Aakash Chopra added that the former could have converted it into a more substantial knock. In this regard, the latter observed:
"Rishabh Pant played well, played some innovative strokes and in a destructive fashion, but again when he looks back he will say that he missed an opportunity and should have scored more runs."
The 43-year-old signed off by stating that Ravindra Jadeja has shown a different dimension of his game in his last couple of knocks. Aakash Chopra explained:
"Jaddu was fighting alone, he scored 40 runs in 120 deliveries. He is showing us the range of his batting. We all know that he can play his shots, but whether he can play in a resolute manner, he showed that in Nottingham and here as well. He was trying to farm the strike with the tail but how long could he have fought."
Jadeja strung together a useful 26-run partnership with Ishant Sharma. With Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah falling for ducks, the spin-bowling all-rounder had no option but to go for the big shot when Mohammed Siraj came to the crease and lost his wicket in the process.