"Do you actually criticize it or say that it's part and parcel of the game?" - Aakash Chopra on potential failures with India's recent T20I approach

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Men in Blue have adopted an ultra-aggressive approach in T20Is lately. He wondered whether individual players should be criticized for their failures in such a scenario.

The final T20I of the five-match series between India and England will be played in Mumbai on Sunday, February 2. Although Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav, two of the hosts' main batters, weren't among the runs in the first four T20Is, the Men in Blue enjoy a 3-1 lead heading into the final game.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator cited Tilak Varma's golden duck in the fourth T20I as an example to question whether players should be criticized for their mode of dismissals, considering the attacking batting approach India have adopted lately.

"Something different is happening. We should acknowledge and appreciate maybe because we were saying for a long time that India's way of playing T20 cricket was slightly archaic. So the selectors and team management have picked a team that is totally for T20s. These people don't play ODIs and the ODI guys don't play T20Is," he said (7:40).

"A separate team has been prepared. After that, an approach has been prepared, that is a high-risk approach but is also a high-reward approach. You are going towards 300. However, in such a scenario, when Tilak Varma tries to play a shot off the first ball and gets out, do you actually criticize it or say that it's part and parcel of the game?" Chopra added.

The former India opener pointed out that Samson and Suryakumar were sticking with the team's adopted approach despite their lean runs.

"When you see Sanju Samson's four consecutive failures, you feel that he can play one ball cautiously as well. However, that's not the team's philosophy. When you see Suryakumar Yadav, you say why he is hitting like that when he isn't in form, and that he should take a little time," Chopra observed.

Sanju Samson has aggregated 35 runs at an average of 8.75 in four innings in the ongoing T20I series against England. Suryakumar Yadav has fared worse, with his 26 runs in four innings coming at an average of 6.50.

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"If you reach 280, you might get out for 125 someday" - Aakash Chopra on the flip side of India's approach

Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube bailed India out of trouble after they were reduced to 79/5 in the fourth T20I against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Indian team management should be willing to accept a few failures as a result of their adopted template.

"This one question will remain for sure. When you play cricket like this, if you reach 280, you might get out for 125 someday, and be 10/3 and 80/5 as well. However, since you have committed that this is the template you are going to follow, then there will be failures and you will have to be ready for that," he said (8:35).

Chopra pointed out that Indian fans needed to understand that some players might fail in a few consecutive innings because of the team's ultra-aggressive approach. He added that eventually the approach will be judged based on the side's success percentage.