Aakash Chopra has recalled an instance when he opted to give up his neutrality as a cricket broadcaster. Aakash Chopra represented India in 10 Test matches, aggregating 437 runs at an average of 23.00.
He played a crucial role as Virender Sehwag’s opening partner during India’s 2003-04 tour of Australia. The dogged batter has excelled as a broadcaster since his retirement as a player.
Aakash Chopra Once Hugged The Flag Realizing That Indian Team Was 16 Against Australia In The Famous 2018-19 Tour
While the 2020-21 series win against hosts Australia was a special one as Inda beat the hosts with a second-string bowling attack but the first series win against hosts Australia in 2018-19 had its own challenges.
India took the lead of 1-0 with a 31-run win at Adelaide but Australia came strongly at Perth despite a brilliant century by Virat Kohli. One common issue India had in both tests, was the lack of runs from the openers.
KL Rahul and Murali Vijay scored 48 and 49 runs respectively in their 4 innings. So India decided to go with a completely new pair as they handed a Test debut to Mayank Agarwal and also promoted Hanuma Vihari at the top.
Mayank Agarwal scored 76 in his debut innings which was followed by another 42 in the second innings as India retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy with a 137-run win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra reminisced about an occasion when he broke the norm as a broadcaster, saying: “As a broadcaster, all of us are asked to be neutral, that it is not us and them, it is always India versus Australia or India versus England. You should never say that it is a fight between us and them.”
He added: “But it happened once when I hugged the flag. I realized that our Indian team was 16 against the entire country.”
Aakash Chopra disclosed that almost the entire Australian nation was targeting the Indian cricket team.
The former Indian opener elaborated: “I was in Australia and for the first time I realized that the guys in front of you are getting together against you, they are making a mountain out of a molehill – all former cricketers, media, everybody is getting together and going against Team India.”
The two sides played the four-match Test series between 6th December 2018 and 7th January 2019. India won by a 2-1 margin. The visitors India started that series with a 31 runs victory at Adelaide. Though the hosts came back to the series with the 146 runs victory in the next Test at Perth, India won the third Test at Melbourne by 137 runs.
While they played the fourth and final Test of the series in Sydney in early January this year, it had a draw result but anyway India created history by winning that series.
Aakash Chopra Weaved The Indian Flag During Australia Tour In 2018-19 Test Series
Aakash Chopra added that he was delighted when Team India defeated the Aussies in the now-famous 2018-19 Test series.
He observed: “It was the 2018-19 tour, I was the only Indian broadcaster there and I said ‘let me leave the neutral stand and let’s wave the Indian flag.’ We won there and I enjoyed it a lot that I was just going all out.”
Virat Kohli‘s Indian side defeated Australia 2-1 in the aforementioned Test series. It was the very first Test series win for an Indian side on Australian soil and they repeated the feat in their last trip Down Under in 2020-21.
Aakash Chopra pointed out that he had no option but to become a cheerleader for the visiting Indian side during the 2018-19 series in Australia, explaining: “I was a cheerleader for the first time in my life as a broadcaster. I couldn’t stand that, if they are 16, I also wanted to become the 17th, I wanted to be a part of that group and that’s what it means. Playing for India is absolutely everything.”
Aakash Chopra also expressed pride at having gotten the opportunity to represent the country in international cricket.
He added that very few people are fortunate to have experienced that privilege and that he counts himself to be blessed to have gotten that chance.