"You lost the World Cup final also due to your obsession with the pitch" - Aakash Chopra doesn't want India to prepare rank turners for England Tests
Aakash Chopra has urged India not to prepare rank turners for the upcoming Test series against England, claiming that it could prove counterproductive.
The two sides will face off in a five-Test series, with the first game to be played in Hyderabad from Thursday, January 25. It remains to be seen if the hosts continue to prepare square turners, as has been the case lately.
Previewing the series in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra wasn't in favor of Rohit Sharma and company preparing rank turners. He reasoned (1:20):
"The match has a few big threads. The biggest thread is how the pitch should be. Should rank turners be made? I am saying and have been saying for a long time - you lost the World Cup final also due to your obsession with the pitch. Preparing a pitch favoring you cost you the finals."
The former India opener added that the curator should only be asked to prepare a result-oriented pitch.
"You might say this is a different format," he said. "It's not about the format but the habit. You become complacent. Just give one instruction to the curator - make a pitch that yields a result. It shouldn't be a road-like pitch."
Chopra claimed that irrespective of the pitch, India are the better unit if man-to-man marking is done. He added that any pitch prepared in India would eventually turn.
"The scales are obviously tilted towards India and they will only win this series" - Aakash Chopra
![India registered a 3-1 win in the last home series against England. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/b9bec-17060681217879-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra predicted a comprehensive win for India in the five-match series, stating (7:10):
"The scales are obviously tilted towards India and they will only win this series. The question is whether it would be 4-0, 5-0 or 4-1. However, which match will they (England) win and how will they take 20 wickets because the spin attack is extremely weak?"
The reputed commentator feels the hosts can take advantage of England's weak spin attack if the pitches don't assist the spinners too much. He said:
"I don't see any might in the spin bowling. So, if you don't make turning pitches, you can score 500 runs against them at least thrice over the course of the series and maybe more. I feel you will win this series easily."
Chopra reckons England will miss Harry Brook in the series, highlighting that he was an integral part of the Bazball approach. He added that the series will be a massive test for Ben Stokes, both as batter and captain.