Former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra commented on the collapse of Indian batting in the last match against Sri Lanka and took on Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill. Aakash Chopra praised Sri Lankan spinner Wellalage.
In its second match of the Super Four against Sri Lanka, the Indian team achieved a thrilling victory and made it to the final. Despite this great victory for India, the weak link of Indian batting was visible in front of Sri Lankan bowlers, about which Aakash Chopra told on his YouTube channel.
Centurion Virat looked helpless in front of Sri Lankan spinner Wellalage and lost his wicket at the score of just 3 runs. Apart from Virat Kohli, Wellalage showed the way to the pavilion to 4 more Indian batters.
Looking at this performance of Wellalage, it would be easy to say that the Indian batting, which has won worldwide praise for its batting against Pakistan, seems unable to score runs against leg-spin.
Dunith Wellalage did an amazing job- Aakash Chopra
The famous commentator Aakash Chopra, while praising Wellalage, also criticized the Indian batters, while speaking on his You Tube channel
“Wellalage did an amazing job. Who bowls spin like that? It felt like Wellalage alone was taking the entire Indian team on a cycle. He first dismissed Shubman Gill. Shubman Gill against left-arm spin is another story, whether it is Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie or Wellalage,” said Aakash Chopra.
“When the ball comes in with the hand and turns after pitching, it causes him (Gill) difficulties, and here he got bowled. It was a good ball, no doubt, but he got out. He was not the only one to get out,” he stated.
“After that, Virat Kohli, a centurion from the last match, tried to play the ball on the leg-side and he was caught at short midwicket. Even Virat Kohli’s numbers against left-arm spin are not very good, whether it is Mitchell Santner, Wellalage, Taijul Islam or Ajaz Patel, everyone has troubled him,” he added.
In this match, not only Wellalage but Sri Lankan off-spinner Charith Asalanka also showed the way to the pavilion to 4 Indian batters. This light dismissal of 9 Indian batters in front of the spin bowlers creates fear for the upcoming World Cup.
“I felt his selection of the ball’s length was not that bad but the ball went and hit his stumps” – Aakash Chopra
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who played the only half-century innings in the match, faced the Sri Lankan bowlers brilliantly in the initial overs and looked completely dominant, but the Indian team took the wickets of Shubman Gill in his first over and then Virat Kohli in the second. Was mentally scared, after which instead of the 63-run partnership between Rahul and Ishaan, neither pair could stay in the field for long and were bundled out for only 213 runs.
Aakash Chopra raised questions on Rohit Sharma’s shot selection and also talked about the wickets of other players.
“Then Rohit Sharma, who had scored a fifty and was batting very well, but that ball kept a little low. There was a question about whether the ball kept low or he didn’t go forward because he was playing while standing in his position,” said Aakash Chopra.
“I felt his selection of the ball’s length was not that bad but the ball went and hit his stumps. Then KL Rahul, who was actually batting well, was out caught and bowled, and then Hardik also got out,” he added.
The highest score for India in a match was made by Rohit Sharma, while the highest score for Sri Lanka was made by Dunith Wellalage, who took 5 wickets and scored unbeaten 42 runs facing 46 balls.