"You might end up on the losing side very often" - Aakash Chopra on England following the same aggressive approach in the Ashes
Aakash Chopra feels England might end up on the losing side if they continue to follow an ultra-aggressive approach in the home Ashes series next year.
Ben Stokes and Co. registered a 74-run win in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Monday, December 5. They scored their runs at a breathtaking pace in both innings and bowled out the hosts for 268 on a dead final-day pitch after setting them an achievable 343-run target.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was doubtful about a similar approach from England succeeding against Australia, elaborating:
"It will be enjoyable if they (England) continue playing like this. They will have a good test in the Ashes because if you play this brand of cricket there, you might end up on the losing side very often. If that happens, your thinking changes at times, you don't play that positively when you are losing the Ashes."
However, Chopra was all praise for England for forcing a result on an unresponsive surface. The former Indian opener explained:
"It is praiseworthy, it was a road-like pitch and to win a match on such a pitch. When you see the pitch, you say there will be no result for sure. You start from that viewpoint and then they scored 500 runs on the first day."
England smashed 506/4 on the first day of the Rawalpindi Test. Zak Crawley (122), Ben Duckett (107), Ollie Pope (108) and Harry Brook (153) smacked enterprising centuries as the visitors posted 657 runs in their first innings in just 101 overs.
"What they are doing to Test cricket is phenomenal" - Aakash Chopra
Chopra heaped praise on Stokes for making a bold declaration in the second innings, stating:
"In the end, they did a declaration where they could have lost the match. Stokes has said that they don't want a draw at all. What they are doing to Test cricket is phenomenal. They did it to ODI and T20 cricket when Bangladesh knocked them out in 2015 at the Adelaide ground. What they have done is absolutely outstanding."
Chopra concluded by lauding James Anderson and Ollie Robinson for delivering the goods on a placid surface. He said:
"The fast bowlers - James Anderson and Ollie Robinson - did the job on an absolutely dead pitch on the fifth day. The good thing is that they are reinvigorating Test cricket, they are reawakening the love for Test cricket."
#ENGvPAKIncredible display of positive attitude gave England this win against Pakistan 👏 #ENGvPAK
Anderson and Robinson registered figures of 4/36 and 4/50 respectively in Pakistan's second innings. Stokes and Jack Leach picked up a wicket apiece, with the latter sealing the game by trapping Naseem Shah plumb in front of the wickets.