"Could have allowed the pitch to deteriorate" - Former opener reacts to India enforcing follow-on in IND vs WI 2025 2nd Test

Former India opener Aakash Chopra opined that the hosts could have avoided enforcing the follow-on and could have batted again in the Delhi Test against West Indies. Chopra explained that India could have allowed the pitch to deteriorate further before asking West Indies to bat a second time.

West Indies resumed their first innings in the Delhi Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, October 12 at 140-4. Responding to India's first innings total of 518-5 declared, they were bowled out for 248 as Kuldeep Yadav claimed five wickets. However, after being asked to follow-on, the visitors put up a much better effort in the second innings and went to stumps at 173-2.

During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Chopra admitted that India might have been better off batting a second time instead of enforcing the follow-on. Sharing his thoughts on India's decision to ask West Indies to bat again, he commented:

"I was in two minds. That's a call that has to be taken on the basis of what the pitch is doing and how tired the bowlers are. To be fair, India playing five proper bowlers, with Nitish Reddy as an option, they might have felt that everybody has got enough gas in the tank.

"I think the declaration was a little too soon. Also, India could have batted and allowed the pitch to deteriorate a little further and then could have wrapped up things quite easily," the 48-year-old added.

Asked to follow-on, West Indies lost Tagenarine Chanderpaul for 10 and Alick Athanaze for seven. However, John Campbell (87) and Shai Hope (66) featured in an unbroken 138-run stand for the third wicket.

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"Tiredness stood out" - Aakash Chopra on Indian bowlers' ineffectiveness in 2nd innings

While Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja combined to pick up eight wickets in West Indies' first innings, India managed only two wickets in 49 overs in the second innings on Day 3. Reflecting on India's lack of potency with the ball, Chopra attributed it to fatigue. He said:

"Tiredness towards the end was something that stood out. India declared when all of us where thinking that they might bat for a little longer. They had to bowl a lot on Day 2 and entire Day 3. It is hard work on a surface which is not spin-ready, which is made of black clay and not red soil. There is less bounce, pace and sideways movement. Eventually you felt Kuldeep Yadav was dropping the ball a bit short."

Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar were the only wicket-takers for India in West Indies' second innings on Day 3. Meanwhile, the visitors went to stumps trailing India by 97 runs.