"You expect a little better from someone like Ben Stokes" - Aakash Chopra on England's batting concerns ahead of 3rd ODI vs India
Aakash Chopra has highlighted England's batting concerns heading into the third ODI against Team India at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday, July 17.
Jos Buttler & Co. have posted totals of 110 and 246 after being asked to bat first in the two ODIs thus far. Although they managed to win the second game, the hosts will hope to dish out a better batting performance in the series decider.
While previewing the final ODI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the hosts will expect more from their Test skipper Ben Stokes. He elaborated:
"England have the might although their batting is also going bad. If you see their top order, they are succumbing easily. Ben Stokes - no one plays so many reverse sweeps, play with the straight bat. You expect a little better from someone like Ben Stokes."
The former Indian batter pinpointed Jason Roy's travails against Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Chopra observed:
"Jason Roy's bat hasn't fired at all. He remains extremely worried and keeps poking at away-going deliveries. His number is in Shami's pocket, he has troubled him a lot. Bumrah is also troubling him."
Roy has scored a total of 54 runs in his five innings across the T20Is and ODIs against Team India thus far. He has looked ill at ease in the middle and has even been dismissed for a duck on two occasions.
"Joe Root has been a disappointment so far in this series" - Aakash Chopra
Chopra added that Joe Root has also underperformed in the first two ODIs. He explained:
"Joe Root has been a disappointment so far in this series, he is not taking the name of stopping in Tests. He has been seen playing white-ball cricket after a year. In the first match, it was Bumrah's ball and he got dismissed while playing the sweep in the second match."
While expecting Root to come good in the final ODI, the renowned commentator concluded by asking Liam Livingstone to show a little more restraint with the bat. Chopra said:
"He (Root) generally doesn't miss it but got out off Chahal's ball. He is a very big player whose bat will fire now. Liam Livingstone tries to be a little too emotional and aggressive. It can work out if he plays a little cautiously."
Liam Livingstone goes after hitting the six, Hardik Pandya gets another. He was looking to go after Hardik, but finds Shreyas on the boundary.
Livingstone was dismissed for a duck in the first ODI when he walked too far across against Bumrah and was castled behind his legs. The destructive batter was looking good in the second game before he pulled a Hardik Pandya delivery straight down Shreyas Iyer's throat at deep square leg.
Also Read: "There is a sword hanging over Prasidh Krishna's head" - Aakash Chopra on the probable change in India's playing XI for the 3rd ODI vs England