IND v AUS 2020: 'If India's top bowlers don't take wickets, all-rounders are not going to help' - Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has opined that the inability of their bowlers to pick up wickets at the start of the opposition innings is a bigger concern for Team India than the lack of all-rounders in their lineup.

He made this observation while talking about India's bowling effort in yesterday's defeat against Australia in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by highlighting India's lack of penetration with the new ball, with them having conceded an opening partnership in excess of a hundred runs in their last three ODIs.

"If we see the Indian bowling story, we are not taking wickets with the new ball at all. How much time has gone? In the last three consecutive ODI matches, India has conceded a 100-run partnership at the top between the two openers."

The reputed commentator observed that David Warner and Aaron Finch meted out the same treatment that Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls gave the Indian bowlers in the last ODI of their tour of New Zealand.

"In the last match against New Zealand and the first two matches here. If you don't take wickets with the new ball, a wicket does not fall in the first 20-odd overs, then whomever you bowl doesn't make a difference."

---

Aakash Chopra on India lacking penetration in their bowling more than an all-rounder

Hardik Pandya did bowl 4 overs for India in yesterday's encounter

Aakash Chopra pointed out that even though Hardik Pandya bowled a few overs and took the wicket of Steve Smith, an additional bowler is not going to help India if their strike bowlers are not amongst the wickets.

"Although we saw Hardik Pandya bowling but it was too late. He took a wicket as well, he dismissed Steve Smith. But if your top bowlers don't take wickets, what will the 6th, 7th or 8th option do."

Aakash Chopra signed off by observing that the lack of penetration of the bowlers is a huge concern for Team India, and said that the crisis is only being compounded by the absence of quality all-rounders.

"So, this is a problem. That is getting magnified by the lack of an all-rounder but first of all how many all-rounders do we have and even if they were there where will you play them. Even if you play them, if you don't take wickets at the top, it is not going to help in the middle, however many all-rounders you play."

India has failed to pick up a wicket in the first 15 overs in the last five ODIs they have played - three against New Zealand earlier this year and the two against Australia in the ongoing series. This has resulted in India being on the receiving end in all these five encounters, which is a matter of huge concern for them.

For the first time in ODI history, India concede 50+ opening partnership in 5 consecutive innings.80* by Warner & Finch (so far)156 by Finch & Warner106 by Guptill & Nicholls93 by Guptill & Nicholls85 by Guptill & Nicholls #AUSvIND

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) November 29, 2020