Team India were comprehensive in Centurion to go one up in the series. The openers, along with the pace quartet, laid the perfect platform for the win. However, batting collapses have become a regular feature with this team. Even a mention of Adelaide still sends shudders down the spine.
Aakash Chopra believes that there is not a lot that can be done about it. Responding to a query regarding what can be done to avoid such collapses, Chopra stated:
“See, it is not a technical thing. What can you do if your No.3, 4 and 5 are not in good form? You can’t do anything. The one who is at No.6 – Rishabh Pant – he has also not scored too many runs since the England tour.”
The batting collapses have come down to the inability of the stalwarts in the middle order to capitalize on solid starts. Virat has had two particularly unremarkable years, while Pujara and Rahane have both been under fire for the lack of consistency in their performances.
Add to that Pant’s average dropping considerably in the last six Tests, the once envied middle order is not looking that dangerous anymore.
“So the collapse has to happen. It is compulsory if four continuous batters – No.3 to No.6 – don’t have form; they are not scoring runs regularly. None of the No.3 to No.5 have an average of 30 in 2021. If the stats are like this, then collapses are inevitable,” the cricketer-turned-commentator said.
“If you continuously keep playing with this three, four and five – either they will have to score runs or you have to play some other No.3, 4 and 5, or you will have to change someone in between,” Aakash Chopra added.
“There is no Band-Aid that can be applied” – Aakash Chopra
The question remains that how long does the management keep persisting with the same personnel. It might just be time to look at other options or to even add an additional batsman to account for the fragility of the lineup.
“If you keep repeating the same mistake and expect a different result, that generally does not happen. So that is a bit of an issue. There is no fixed solution; there is no Band-Aid that can be applied, to be very honest.”
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