IND v AUS 2020: 'The first-innings lead does not matter if you are dismissed for 36 runs' - Aakash Chopra

Former opener Aakash Chopra has opined that the margin of India's first-innings lead was inconsequential once they were dismissed for a lowly 36 runs in their second essay.

He made this observation while talking about India's inept batting performance in the second innings of the Adelaide Test in a video shared on his Facebook page.

Aakash Chopra started by highlighting that although India could have probably got a greater first-innings lead, it wouldn't have mattered in the end as they were blown away in their second essay.

"The Indian batsmen fell like a pack of cards. We finished at 36/9 with all single digit scores. 42 was the previous lowest score for India. When you make only 36, whether you have a lead of 53 or 110 in the first innings, it is not enough."

The reputed commentator observed India could have put it across the Aussies had they put on even 120 runs on the board in the second innings.

"I had felt the lead was good and that if we built on it even slightly, scored even 120 runs, the job could have been done. But that did not happen."

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Aakash Chopra feels the Indian batsmen will have to do a lot of introspection

Aakash Chopra stated the Aussie bowling was not that good for India to get bowled out for 36

Aakash Chopra lambasted the Indian batsmen for falling in a heap as there was nothing in the pitch to merit such a collapse.

"The one thing to remember is that the bowling will be good, it is Test cricket. Three or four wickets might also fall in a bunch but if the whole team is dismissed for 36, then you will have to blame yourself as there was nothing like that in the pitch."

Aakash Chopra added the Indian team will have a lot of soul-searching to do after their dismal performance with the bat.

"The bowling was good but not that good that you can justify this. They will have to look inwards and introspect as they have perhaps played the worst cricket of their careers."

He highlighted that the bowlers cannot win the match unless the batters post a defendable score on the board.

"Bowlers win you matches but batsmen will have to set it up. If batsmen don't set it up, bowlers cannot do anything. These 36 runs will be remembered for a long time."

Aakash Chopra signed off by observing that the Indian team's poor hour with the bat put paid to all their efforts over the last two days of the Test match.

"A lot of questions will be asked. But the reality for now is that, you were ahead for two days, you played an hour badly and lost the match on the same day. It didn't even go into the fourth day."

India will be demoralised and very low on confidence but they have to tell themselves that they were ahead in the game after six sessions.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 19, 2020

With Virat Kohli not being available for the remainder of the tour, Ajinkya Rahane and the management will have a huge task at hand to lift the morale of the Indian team after the mauling in the first Test.

They will be well advised to forget this performance and approach the Boxing Day Test with renewed vigour if they want to stage a comeback in the series.