Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has discussed India’s ongoing challenges in the red-ball format and the efforts of the Shubman Gill-led side to find a stable long-term XI. He noted that while drawing
the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar trophy in England earlier this year was promising, the team is still experiencing “labour pains before new growth emerges.”
Speaking on JioStar, Chopra provided an in-depth analysis of India’s current transition in Test cricket. He remarked, “Transition is always painful, though the England series temporarily hid this harsh reality due to unusual English pitch conditions. While drawing that series felt encouraging, we must acknowledge we’re still in the labour pains before new growth emerges.”
Regarding the uncertainty in the team’s playing XI, he added, “The number three position remains unsettled – we’ve seen Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, and now Washington Sundar batting there. Dhruv Jurel shows promise but has played only five Tests. Role clarity remains a concern. Is Sundar primarily a batter or bowler when he only delivered one over? We faced similar uncertainty with Nitesh Kumar Reddy recently. Rather than pretending we’re a finished product, we must accept this transition continues and will involve challenging phases before achieving stability.”
India’s recent 30-run defeat to South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series in Kolkata has raised questions about the players’ preparation and mindset ahead of a home game. Despite criticism of the pitch and the curator after the match ended in the second session of Day 3, head coach Gautam Gambhir clarified that the team received exactly the kind of pitch they had requested.
Pitch Please
Chopra further commented on India’s pitch preparation strategy following their Test defeat. He said, “Our practice sessions should feel like real match conditions. Players like Pant and Jurel needed time on rank turners, and someone like Gill, coming from bouncy Australian pitches, needed that adjustment too.
“Pitch preparation isn’t an exact science, but we still need to ask whether extreme turning tracks are the best way for us to win. When a Test ends in two and a half days, it shows something isn’t balanced. With four spinners compared to their two, why bring the contest down to their level? We’ve seen this happen against New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa before. If this becomes our only home strategy, then every batsman will need very different and specific preparation just to cope.”
Despite the pitch being difficult to bat on, South African skipper Temba Bavuma played a remarkable knock and scored a half-century, which became the turning point in the game as his effort, combined with the bowlers’ performance, helped the visitors take the lead in the series.
Coming Up Short
Chopra highlighted the pitch debate with statistical evidence, stating, “Exceptions define the norm, and Temba Bavuma’s fifty stands as the exception among 38 wickets that fell in this match. If batting were straightforward, multiple players would have scored heavily, not just one batter. While Bavuma’s performance deserves credit, the reality remains that only one person succeeded where others failed. Learning through victory feels rewarding, but learning through defeat creates bigger challenges for team development.”
The second and final Test will be played from November 22 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
(With inputs from Agencies)
