IND v AUS 2020: 'India not getting wickets with the new ball has been a problem for a very long time' - Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has opined that Team India was on the backfoot in yesterday's encounter against Australia because of the inability of the bowlers to get early wickets. He added that this has been an area of concern for the side for quite a long time.

Chopra made this observation while reviewing India's 66-run defeat in the first ODI against Australia in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by pointing out that the 156-run partnership for the first wicket between Aaron Finch and David Warner took the match away from India.

"Australia won a critical toss and chose to bat. When Aaron Finch and David Warner stitched together an opening partnership of more than 150 runs, where is the strength left in the opposition."

The reputed commentator highlighted that the Indian bowlers' inability to get early breakthroughs has been an area of concern for them since the 2019 World Cup.

"India not getting wickets with the new ball has been a problem for a very long time. India has not been taking wickets with the new ball since the 2019 World Cup. So that has been a problem area and it again came to the fore."

The 43-year-old observed that four of the top five Aussie batsmen had played significant knocks in yesterday's encounter, with Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch blasting the Indian bowlers much to KL Rahul and Virat Kohli's chagrin.

"Steve Smith also came and blasted with Aaron Finch hitting a century and David Warner a half-century. Glenn Maxwell came later and hit a lot. When Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch were hitting, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli might be thinking why they didn't do that for KXIP and RCB respectively."

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Australia posted a mammoth score for India to chase. He added that Yuzvendra Chahal felt the brunt of the Aussie willows, with Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja the only two bowlers to have checked the run-flow a little.

"The 374-score was too big a total, with Chahal almost conceding 90 runs in his 10 overs. There were only two bowlers who were economical - Shami who took wickets as well and Ravindra Jadeja but he did not have a wicket to his name."

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Aakash Chopra on India's batting effort

Shikhar Dhawan gave India a flying start in the company of Mayank Agarwal

Talking about India's run-chase, Aakash Chopra observed that the loss of three wickets in the first powerplay after the blazing start provided by Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan set them back.

"India made a good start with Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan. Twenty runs came off the first over and they scored 50 in the first 4 overs. But before the end of the first 10 overs, India had lost three wickets - Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer."

The former KKR player pointed out that Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer getting out to short deliveries was an area of concern. He added that the Indian batsmen were probably too attacking at the start of their innings, with KL Rahul's dismissal off an Adam Zampa full toss making their task even more daunting.

"All the three were dismissed by short balls, problem area No.1. They were probably a little too aggressive as they had not played ODI cricket for a long time. After that Rahul also got out off a full toss and when you are chasing 375 and are four down for 100 runs, it was not going to happen."

For someone who times a run chase better than anyone else, Kohli seemed in a huge hurry...

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 27, 2020

Aakash Chopra signed off by stating that the 375-run target ended up a bridge too far to cross for Team India despite Hardik Pandya and Shikhar Dhawan's fighting knocks.

"Shikhar Dhawan stitched a good partnership with Hardik Pandya but in the end their effort was all in vain. Australia won the match and got 10 points of the Super League in their kitty."

Fighting innings from Hardik Pandya... Dhawan was brilliant.. Gave India a chance with that partnership... Australia with that 10 points now at second position in ICC super league... #AUSvIND

— Ankit Parikh (@Aparikh_206) November 27, 2020

Australia posted an imposing 375-run target for India in the 1st ODI, with the Indian bowlers failing to get a wicket in the first 27 overs of the first innings. Although Hardik Pandya and Shikhar Dhawan did stitch together a 128-run partnership for the fifth wicket, the Aaron Finch-led side registered a convincing win at the end.