Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Team India’s lower-middle order concerns were not addressed in the T20I series against New Zealand. He pointed out that none of Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Venkatesh Iyer covered themselves in glory.
None of the Indian middle-order batters played a substantial knock in the three T20Is against the Black Caps. While they did not have too much of an opportunity in the first two matches, they threw away their wickets in last night’s encounter.
Aakash Chopra Unhappy With India’s Middle Order
While reflecting on the India-New Zealand series in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra wasn’t too happy with the hosts’ middle order.
He elaborated: “The middle-lower order is still a concern because Rishabh Pant hasn’t really batted the way we wanted him to bat. He hasn’t batted the way he can bat, you expect more from him.”
The former India cricketer added that Rishabh Pant hadn’t enjoyed the same success in the shortest format of the game as he has done in Tests.
Aakash Chopra explained: “The runs come from his bat, he hits sixes as well but I feel he hasn’t yet fully cracked the T20 code, which is a bit of a disappointment. He is absolutely sensational in Tests, it is the format he has cracked easily but he is still figuring out his ways in the other formats.”
Although Rishabh Pant gave the finishing touches to Team India’s run chases in the first two T20Is, he didn’t look too convincing in the middle. The dashing wicket-keeper batter was dismissed for just four runs in last night’s encounter as he holed out in the deep while going for a big shot.
Before the bilateral T20I series against New Zealand, Rishabh Pant registered scores of 39, 12, and 27* during India’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign, where they were ousted from the group stage itself after heavy defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Rishabh Pant wasn’t able to set the recent T20I series on fire with the bat, as he scored 33 runs (4, 12*, 17*) in the three matches against New Zealand while batting at No. 4 and 5. Rishabh Pant is sometimes accused of throwing his wicket away despite being set often. He has amassed 623 runs in 41 T20Is averaging 23.07 with only 2 fifties with a highest score of 65*.
Aakash Chopra: Shreyas Iyer Played A Bad Shot To Be Dismissed
Aakash Chopra was also critical of Shreyas Iyer’s shot selection in last night’s encounter. Shreyas Iyer didn’t bat at his ideal position throughout the series and managed to score only 30 runs in 2 innings averaging 15.
Suryakumar Yadav scored 63 runs averaging 21 in 3 games. Rishabh Pant also failed to deliver on a couple of occasions scoring 33 runs averaging 33 in 3 games. Venkatesh Iyer was tested as the finisher, but he failed to live up to the hype on his debut series, managing 36 runs averaging 18 in 3 games.
“The number at which Shreyas Iyer was made to bat, the attempt was to get him to do something different at No. 5. He had an opportunity as well in the last match, played a bad shot to get out.”
The reputed commentator concluded by stating that it is too early to pass a judgment on Venkatesh Iyer, who was playing his debut T20I series as well.
Aakash Chopra said: “There were so many overs left, Venkatesh Iyer had got out in the previous over. He [Shreyas] is also not your finisher. Venkatesh Iyer has played, hit one or two sixes as well, but it is too soon to form an opinion on him being your long-term solution.”
Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer got off to starts in yesterday’s match but got out in the twenties. However, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar played some enterprising shots thereafter to help India go past the 180-run mark, resulting in a convincing win for India.