"Doesn't work in modern-day cricket" - Aakash Chopra on Gautam Gambhir's statement after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that head coach Gautam Gambhir was right in defending the Indian team's lower-order batters after their loss in the first Test against England. However, he pointed out that the lower order needs to contribute in modern-day cricket and expressed skepticism about the current Indian lineup's ability to do so.

England registered a five-wicket win in the first Test against India in Leeds on Tuesday, June 24. The visitors suffered batting collapses in both innings, losing their last seven wickets for 41 runs in the first innings, and their last six wickets for 31 runs in the second innings.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator reflected on Gambhir's response to the query on India's lower-order performance. While acknowledging that the coach couldn't have said anything else, he opined that such a shortcoming is not acceptable in modern-day cricket.

"Others' tails wag, but ours is so tiny, and it falls quickly. Gautam Gambhir was asked some questions in the press conference. The answer to one question was that they are trying, and that the top order also gets out at times. That's what the coach should say," Chopra said.

"However, when you see the quality of batting, whether it's Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna or Jasprit Bumrah, and even if Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep come, I don't think there can be a sudden upgrade. If there is no upgrade, your batting is weak. Your tail is a proper tail, which doesn't work in modern-day cricket," he added.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that the future will be about bowlers who can bat. He added that single-skilled players don't work even in Test cricket, and that the lower order should be able to hang around a little more.

---

"As soon as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired, he said Duckett's name can be put" - Aakash Chopra on Michael Vaughan's claim after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Ben Duckett scored a match-winning century in England's second innings of the first Test. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on former England captain Michael Vaughan's claim that Ben Duckett is the best all-format player in the world at the moment, Aakash Chopra noted that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's retirement from Tests and T20Is might have allowed him to say that.

"He is saying that Ben Duckett is the world's best all-format player. I feel that as soon as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired, he said Duckett's name can be put. At times, a very good way of making your line longer is by erasing the other's line," he said in the same video.

While acknowledging that Duckett has fared well across formats in most conditions, the former India opener wasn't sure whether the opener can be given that accolade yet.

"He is a quality player, but is he the best across three formats? Is he the best just because of the lack of choices? He plays high-risk cricket but is scoring runs in all three formats. He has scored runs home and away. He scored runs in India too. So he has a case, but is he already the best all-format player in the world right now? I think the jury is still out," Chopra observed.

Ben Duckett smashed 149 runs off 170 deliveries in England's second innings of the first Test against India. He has amassed 2493 runs at an average of 44.52 in 57 innings across the three formats since the beginning of 2024.