"We criticized Bazball as well" - Aakash Chopra says India's attacking approach in IND vs NZ 2024 Tests was a cop-out
Aakash Chopra has termed India's persistence with an attacking batting approach in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand a 'cop-out.' He noted that the cricket experts also criticized Bazball, a similar approach adopted by the England batters.
India suffered a 25-run defeat in the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai on Sunday, November 3. They lost the series 0-3, the first time they have been whitewashed in a home series of three or more Tests.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator questioned whether the aggressive approach adopted by the Indian batters is a 'cop-out,' as they don't know to play any other way.
"The my way or the highway, the attacking approach, is that actually a cop-out? A cop-out is that if you are unable to do something, you do something else. Nine out of 10 times, if a player says that it is his way of playing, that he comes and hits, you should assume that he doesn't have confidence in his defense and doesn't know any other way to play," he said (8:15).
"He has just one way that he would hit sixes and you have to accept what he says. He is saying that he wants to play like that but it's because he doesn't have the confidence to play any other way. This is a question. I feel the Indian team's new formula or template is becoming a bit of a cop-out. We criticized Bazball as well because that was also a cop-out," Chopra added.
Chopra pointed out that the likes of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Ben Stokes weren't able to defend straight deliveries on their last tour of India. He added that because of that, they said they only play aggressively and were trying to hit sixes.
"Show it if you know any other way to score runs" - Aakash Chopra to India batters
![The Indian batters were found wanting in their defensive technique. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/1d886-17306993535381-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India also seem to be adopting England's approach.
"The Indian team also has unfortunately started moving in that direction, that we play like this only, that they only hit. Why? Two-and-a-half days were still left. Show it if you know any other way to score runs. On a good pitch, it's okay, you are scoring 450 runs in 100 overs, four-and-a-half runs per over, but what happens as soon as the pitch turns a little or seams a little?" he said.
The former India opener pointed out that Rohit Sharma and company struggled against both pace and spin.
"Our first examination in this series was against seam. We failed, got all out for 46. When the examination was against spin, we failed there as well. We failed in Pune and then Mumbai, not once but four times. Right now, what we are calling our method, that's the only way we can play," Chopra observed.
Chopra concluded by opining that India's aggressive approach is just an excuse.
"We don't have any other way to play. It's not possible to survive every time in Test cricket by hitting. So yes, to answer that question, my way or the highway, the attacking cricket we are playing, this is a cop-out. It is not a way of life. How can it be a way if it is failing?" he added.
Rishabh Pant (261) was the only Indian batter to aggregate more than 200 runs in the three-match series. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were particularly found wanting, scoring 91 and 93, respectively, in six innings apiece.