"There is no doubt that batting let India down" - Aakash Chopra on the visitors' defeat in the 2nd Test vs South Africa
Aakash Chopra believes that despite the Indian bowlers' failure to defend a 240-run fourth-innings target, the batters let the team down.
Team India failed to cross the 300-run mark in both innings of the second Test against South Africa. While they were bowled out for 202 in the first innings after opting to bat first, they could have gone beyond the 266 they scored in the second essay.
While reflecting on India's defeat in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted the shortcomings in the batting department. He explained:
"There is no doubt that batting let India down. If you talk about the first innings, you can see KL Rahul and after that only Ravichandran Ashwin. There were not too many runs in between."
The former India cricketer believes a below-par first innings score put the visitors behind the eight ball. Aakash Chopra observed:
"If you score 202 runs when you opted to bat after winning the toss, you have lost the advantage. You won in Centurion because you were 270/3 after the first day. But if you score only 200, that's never going to be enough."
Pujara & Rahane Just Hung up their Bats to Olivier without any Foot movement & Sent back to The Pavillion Pujara for 3 & Ajinkya Rahane for Golden Duck! Are We missing Virat Kohli here in Wanderers?
#INDvSA
#INDvsSA https://t.co/BwESOjbzHD
KL Rahul (50) and Ravichandran Ashwin (46) were the only Indian players to cross the 30-run mark in the first innings. The back-to-back dismissals of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane put India on the back foot after a decent start provided by Rahul and Mayank Agarwal.
"You could have given the opposing team a target of 275 to 285 runs" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra added that Team India could have set a more challenging target for the Proteas. He said:
"You conceded a small lead but after that, you were at a stage where you could have given the opposing team a target of 275 to 285 runs. But that also didn't happen. Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane - good runs, good innings but still."
The reputed commentator concluded by saying that Rishabh Pant's rush of blood will hurt even more after the loss. Aakash Chopra elaborated:
"Rishabh Pant's shot is pinching even more because if he had stood there and scored 25 more runs, then this encounter might have gone in some other direction. This thing will always remain in our minds."
Rahul Dravid (in Press) said "We all know Rishabh Pant plays positively, it has got him lots of success - but there will be time when to attack and when not to - he can change the game easily and he is learning game by game".
Pant danced down the track and played an ugly hoick off the third delivery he faced from Kagiso Rabada. He only managed to get an edge and was caught behind the wickets for a duck.