"You will have to change the playing conditions" - Aakash Chopra on North Zone's excruciatingly slow over rate in the Duleep Trophy semi-final
Aakash Chopra feels the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) need to change the playing conditions after North Zone slowed down their over rate drastically to try and deny South Zone a win in the Duleep Trophy semi-final.
South Zone pipped North Zone by two wickets to qualify for the title decider. With North Zone enjoying a three-run first-innings lead, which would have helped them to qualify for the finals in case the game ended in a draw, their skipper Jayant Yadav ensured that they bowled their overs extremely slowly when South Zone were getting close to the target.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was dismayed that there was no penalty for the excruciatingly slow over rate, saying:
"In the match between South Zone and North Zone, one over was bowled in 10 minutes and there was no penalty. So I feel it is slightly flawed. You will have to change the playing conditions."
Chopra added that the umpires' inability to take any action was a disgrace, elaborating:
"You can fine or ban the captain but the captain is from the North Zone. What will you do to him, he was not playing for his state. You will have to do something different because if you allow 10 minutes for an over to be bowled, you bowl five overs in 50 minutes, and if the umpires can't do anything, it's an absolute travesty."
Despite North Zone's delay tactics, Sai Kishore's unbeaten 15 off 11 balls took his team across the line. Mayank Agarwal (54 off 57), Hanuma Vihari (43 off 42), Ricky Bhui (34 off 29) and Tilak Varma (25 off 19) also starred with the bat for the winners.
"They may start as firm favorites" - Aakash Chopra feels the scale is tilted towards West Zone in the Duleep Trophy final
Despite South Zone's nail-biting semi-final win, Aakash Chopra reckons West Zone are the favorites to lift the trophy, stating:
"The final will be between South Zone and West Zone. It will be a record appearance for West Zone in the finals, so they may start as firm favorites, to begin with. The match will be at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and it will be a five-day affair. Hopefully, it will last the full five days."
West Zone defeated Central Zone based on first-innings lead in the other semi-final. Cheteshwar Pujara's 133-run second-innings knock virtually batted Shivam Mavi's side out of the game after they had conceded a 92-run first-innings lead.