IND v AUS 2020: 'India missed MS Dhoni as KL Rahul was non-committal' - Aakash Chopra on the Matthew Wade review

Former opener Aakash Chopra has opined that the Indian team missed MS Dhoni's assertiveness behind the stumps in yesterday's final T20I against Australia.

KL Rahul was a little non-committal in going for a review against Matthew Wade, who eventually survived despite being hit in front of the stumps by T Natarajan.

He made this observation while reviewing India's loss to the Kangaroos in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by pointing out that there was only a mild appeal from the Indian side when Matthew Wade was struck on the pads.

"There was a leg-before issue. It was T Natarajan's ball with Matthew Wade being hit on the pads. There was just a token appeal, it was more of an inquiry than an appeal."

The reputed commentator observed that it was a big mistake by Natarajan and Rahul, as neither of them showed the confidence to go for a review with Virat Kohli far away from the action.

"KL Rahul behind the stumps was also not convinced at all. Kohli is anyway not inside the circle often but out in the deep. So, he looked at both of them to tell him. But there was no commitment shown from either of them, both are a little non-committal which in my opinion is a faux pas."

While acknowledging that Natarajan is relatively new to international cricket, Aakash Chopra reckoned that the Indian vice-captain should have been more assertive. He added that the Indian team would have surely missed MS Dhoni for his ability to make the right call in such situations.

"The bowler should be a little more aware but he is a youngster or playing his first few matches. I had expectations from KL Rahul to be more confident and ask Kohli to take the review, which is where we missed Dhoni."

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Aakash Chopra on the replay being shown on the big screen before the review

Aakash Chopra reckoned that the error by the host broadcasters could have cost India the match

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the umpires were right in denying Virat Kohli the review as the decision to go for it was taken after watching the replay on the big screen.

"But then the replay is shown on the big screen. So, when the replay is shown, Virat asks for the review but the umpires deny it because once it is shown on the big screen, you cannot take the review, which is technically and ethically absolutely correct."

Aakash Chopra highlighted that it was a grave mistake by the host broadcasters if the replays were shown before the fifteen-second time limit to take the review had passed.

"The big question was whether the replay was shown before 15 seconds. If that is the case, it was a huge error by the host broadcasters who were managing the big screen."

Aakash Chopra signed off by opining that India being denied a review could have even altered the final result of the match.

"Because of that you snatched a legit review from the Indian team and if Matthew Wade had got dismissed there, it could have been a difference of 10-15 runs and that could have been the difference between a win and a loss."

The host broadcasters need to take the brickbats if they showed the replay before the time to take the review had elapsed. But it is also debatable whether Virat Kohli would have taken the review otherwise, as none of the Indians seemed confident that the ball was hitting the stumps.

Virat Kohli on Matthew Wade DRS call "That LBW was a strange one, we were still discussing that if ball was going down leg side & decided to go for review but umpire said nothing can be doneWe felt as management, such mistakes (being late) cannot be done at the highest level. pic.twitter.com/8ueZwhlHQF

— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) December 8, 2020