"Medals were getting distributed, but we said we will drop catches in this match" - Aakash Chopra on India's fielding vs New Zealand
Aakash Chopra has criticized India's fielding in their World Cup 2023 clash against New Zealand after being virtually faultless in their first four games of the tournament.
The Men in Blue dropped three catches, which helped the Kiwis set a 274-run target in Dharamsala on Sunday, October 22. However, Rohit Sharma and Co. chased down the score with four wickets and two overs to spare to register their fifth consecutive win of the tournament.
Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was disappointed with India's catching. He said (3:25):
"We are dropping catches. We had an impeccable record thus far, medals were getting distributed, but we said we will drop catches in this match. Not one or two, we dropped quite a few catches."
The former India opener pointed out that even an outstanding fielder like Ravindra Jadeja put down a sitter. He elaborated:
"When our best fielder Ravindra Jadeja drops a catch, we have to rub our eyes and check if it's Jaddu only and if everything is alright. He can also drop a catch, Bumrah can drop a catch and KL Rahul can drop a catch."
Jadeja dropped Rachin Ravindra at point off Mohammad Shami's bowling. KL Rahul grassed a slightly tough offering from Daryl Mitchell off Jadeja's bowling before Jasprit Bumrah put down the same batter at long-off off Kuldeep Yadav's bowling.
"He is this tournament's best young player" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rachin Ravindra's knock
![Rachin Ravindra scored 75 runs off 87 deliveries. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/10/7f5d8-16980344897476-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra praised Rachin Ravindra for making the most of the reprieve to play a classy knock. He stated (2:20):
"Rachin Ravindra - he has been very good. In fact, let me say it, he is this tournament's best young player. He is liking playing in India a lot and so is the case with Daryl Mitchell. Rachin played very well till the time he was there."
Chopra also lauded Daryl Mitchell for scoring a fantastic century and especially his attacking approach against Kuldeep Yadav. He elaborated (3:55):
"Daryl Mitchell scored a century. He ran after Kuldeep Yadav and he was able to do that because he was reading the ball from the hand, which one is a googly and which is a leg-spinner. He jumped down the track, reached the pitch of the ball, used the long levers, and hit straight down the ground. It was a glorious century."
Mitchell scored 130 runs off 127 deliveries with the help of nine fours and five sixes. He added 159 runs for the third wicket with Ravindra to take his side to a fighting total after they were reduced to 19/2 in the ninth over.