"Umesh Yadav was an expensive and defensive option" - Aakash Chopra on India's bowling issues on Day 1 of the WTC final
Aakash Chopra has questioned India's tactics of using an expensive and defensive option in Umesh Yadav with the ball at the start of the crucial third session's play on Day 1 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Australia ended the first day of the title decider at The Oval on Wednesday (June 7) at 327/3. They didn't lose a wicket in the third session, with Travis Head (146*) and Steve Smith (95*) smashing 157 runs in the 34 overs bowled.
While reviewing the first day's play in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was disappointed with India starting the third session with Umesh Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, reasoning:
"When the third session started, you asked Umesh to bowl from one end and Ravindra Jadeja from the other end. Everyone knows Jaddu is not going to get wickets here. He is a defensive option. Umesh Yadav was an expensive and defensive option."
The former Indian opener highlighted that Rohit Sharma's decision to save his premier bowlers for the second new ball backfired:
"The team was probably thinking that they will pick up wickets quickly when the second new ball comes, but starting the third session with slightly weak or defensive options betrays your mindset, that you are running out of ideas and are waiting for the opposition team to make mistakes, which did not happen."
Umesh was the only Indian seamer not to pick up a wicket on the day. Jadeja was the most economical bowler but did not look too threatening. He was given just one over after Tea before Mohammad Shami was introduced from his end.
"You started well" - Aakash Chopra on Mohammed Siraj's early dismissal of Usman Khawaja
Reflecting on the start of Australia's innings, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Indian bowlers were kept at bay after Mohammed Siraj's early dismissal of Usman Khawaja:
"You started well, you dismissed Usman Khawaja, who makes a lot of runs. Miya Magic (Mohammed Siraj) bowled a very good ball but after that, David Warner looked good and Marnus Labuschagne was at the other end alongside him."
The reputed commentator opined that India needed at least three wickets in the first session to justify their decision to bowl first:
"It was an important one to one-and-a-half hours, which you felt had not turned that bad, you start reconciling that you didn't give too many runs. But you have to understand that if you bowled after winning the toss, the conditions are overcast and you have four fast-bowling options, you needed at least three wickets in the first session."
Chopra added that the sharpness in the bowling was seen gradually reducing. While acknowledging that Shardul Thakur did dismiss David Warner, he pointed out that the seam-bowling all-rounder was expensive as usual.