T20 World Cup 2022: "When you needed it most, it wasn't there" - Aakash Chopra questions India for not following their much talked-about template
Aakash Chopra has questioned Team India for not following their much talked-about template when it was needed the most.
The Men in Blue were restricted by England to 168/6 in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide on Thursday, November 10. England openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales then achieved the 169-run target without getting separated in just 16 overs to complete an emphatic win.
While reflecting on India's defeat in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the aggressive approach went missing at the opportune moment. He said:
"The first thing was the template. When you needed it most, it wasn't there. I won't say that if you are chasing 150 against Pakistan and it is a green pitch in Melbourne, the bowling was good on the other side, that you should hit sixes. That is stupidity, that is a self-goal, you shouldn't do that, so that was right."
While acknowledging that an attacking template was not required in the previous matches of the tournament, Chopra added that it was mandatory to use that approach against England. The former Indian opener elaborated:
"You were 49/5 against South Africa, no question of the template, bat first and score some runs, that is only enough. Netherlands, Bangladesh - they were all okay, but at this time when you came in front of England, you had to say that you are attacking, you have come prepared for the last one year."
India scored just 38 runs in the powerplay overs despite having only lost KL Rahul's wicket. They took 15 overs to reach the 100-run mark, which put paid to their hopes of setting a mammoth target for the explosive England batting lineup.
"You were looking at the bird's eye for the last one year" - Aakash Chopra on India failing to grab their chance
Chopra highlighted that India had to follow an aggressive batting approach considering the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. He explained:
"You were looking at the bird's eye for the last one year and now that you saw the bird's eye, you had to hit it. You knew the opposition team had great depth in batting and bowling is weak, so you had to put pressure on them, especially when your own bowling was weak for that surface."
Chopra picked India's timid approach in the initial phase of their innings as the reason for them posting an underwhelming total. The reputed commentator stated:
"It was a 200-run pitch and we stopped at 168. We are celebrating that we reached 168 at least, but how did you reach there, you scored 38 in the first six overs. So where did the template go? You played run-a-ball. The intent was not there, the domination was not there."
Nasser Hussain said, "India at the top of the order still play an old-fashioned game. You're talking about an array of world class talent and there is no way that batting line-up should have been 66/2 in 10 overs in a Semi Finals". (To Daily Mail).
India scored just 11 runs off the first three overs of their innings despite Rahul having struck a boundary off the very first delivery. They played 11 dot balls in that period, including Rahul's dismissal, which put them behind the eight ball.