IND vs ZIM 2022: "How else do you challenge yourself?" - Aakash Chopra questions Team India for not opting to bat first in 2nd ODI

KL Rahul opted to field first after winning the toss [P/C: Twitter/Zimbabwe Cricket]

Aakash Chopra has questioned Team India's decision to field first in the second ODI against Zimbabwe.

The Men in Blue registered an emphatic 10-wicket win in the first ODI against the Chevrons after asking them to bat first. While it was widely expected that Indian skipper KL Rahul would bat first if he won the toss in the second game on Saturday, August 20, he surprised everyone by allowing his bowlers to use the fresh surface.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra had the following to say about Rahul's decision at the toss:

"Winning the toss and deciding to bowl, actually it was a no-brainer, that if you have such good conditions, you should bowl first, it makes more sense. Could you have lost the match if you had batted first? There is a possibility, you can lose if you are reduced to 25/5. But how else do you challenge yourself?"

Chopra, however, did acknowledge that he understands the reasoning behind Rahul's call, explaining:

"I can totally understand from Rahul's point of view because make-shift, he has gotten an opportunity to captain now, you have not won the series, why take a chance, leave it, let us bowl."

The Indian team management might have wanted to ensure that they seal the series in the second game. They might opt to bat first if they win the toss in the third and final encounter on Monday, August 22, to allow their batters to spend more time in the middle.

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Chopra added that stand-in coach VVS Laxman might have had thoughts similar to those of Rahul. He elaborated:

"VVS Laxman is the coach of course, he is also an interim coach, so he will also want to win the series. But from an outsider's perspective, you feel that if you had batted first after winning the toss, it would have been probably better because you would have put slightly more pressure on yourselves."

Chopra concluded by stating that he wouldn't have criticized the Indian team had they lost the match while batting first. The former Indian opener said:

"It seemed earlier that none of them would get to bat, that is why Rahul came to open as well, but in the end, everyone got to bat. It's all good if it ends well but if you had batted first and even lost the match, I wouldn't have criticized, I wouldn't have said even once that you did the wrong thing."

Zimbabwe's seam-bowling against India's batters early in the morning could be an interesting contest, as evidenced from whatever we have seen in the run-chase. Bat first in the third ODI, perhaps? #ZIMvIND

All frontline Indian batters got a hit in the middle despite opting to field first. The visitors were in a slight spot of bother at one stage, having been reduced to 97/4 chasing a 162-run target, before Sanju Samson's unbeaten 43 and his 56-run partnership with Deepak Hooda took them across the line.