"It's just not ready right now" - Aakash Chopra on Team India's middle-order batting woes in the ODI series vs South Africa

Aakash Chopra has picked Team India's middle-order batting woes as one of the reasons for their defeat in the ODI series against South Africa.

The Indian team were handed a 3-0 drubbing by the Proteas in the three-match ODI series. While their top order gave them decent starts more often than not, their middle-order batters flattered to deceive.

Aakash Chopra reflected on the reasons behind Team India's defeat in a video shared on his YouTube channel. He said the following about their middle-order batters failing to grab their chances:

"There is a middle muddle. The muddle is that if you play Rishabh Pant at No. 4, Iyer at No. 5 and whether you play Iyer or Suryakumar at No. 6 - I mean it's just not ready right now. You are getting opportunities but you are not grasping them."

The cricketer-turned-commentator was particularly critical of the Indian middle-order batting in the second and third ODIs. Aakash Chopra observed:

"I was not that critical in the first match but here I am critical because you had a chance and you should have played well, same was the case in the second match - you could not capitalize."

However, Aakash Chopra highlighted that the Indian top order is not a concern. He reasoned that any three out of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan would do the required job.

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"It is not going to work out" - Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant's modes of dismissals

Shreyas Iyer was dismissed while playing the hook shot on a couple of occasions

Aakash Chopra was particularly peeved at the modes of dismissals of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. He elaborated:

"If Shreyas Iyer gets out twice while playing the pull shot against bouncers - whether there was pace or not, Rishabh Pant gets out while playing an irresponsible shot - an absolutely reckless shot, playing a big shot at zero, then it is not going to work out."

However, the 44-year-old added that Rohit Sharma's return to the top of the order would indirectly resolve some of the middle-order issues. Aakash Chopra explained:

"So there is a middle muddle that needs to be sorted out. How will that happen? I feel once Rohit comes back, you will send Rahul down the order. Then only one out of Pant, Shreyas, Surya or Ishan will be able to play, so things will look different."

The likes of Pant, Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav are likely to compete for a middle-order spot once Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja return to India's ODI side. Pant is likely to take that place unless they opt to give the wicket-keeping gloves to Rahul.