"The spine was not seen in the batting" - Aakash Chopra on Bangladesh's ordinary performance in 1st Test vs India

Aakash Chopra has criticized Bangladesh's batting performance on Day 2 of the first Test against India in Chattogram.

Shakib Al Hasan and Co. were reduced to 133/8 in their first innings on Thursday, December 15, with none of their batters reaching the 30-run mark. The visitors had earlier piled up a 404-run total in their first innings to gain the upper hand in the series opener.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Tigers have been found wanting against an under-strength India, elaborating:

"The spine was not seen in the batting at all. The opposition team has done ordinary batting.

"Bangladesh, as good as they have been in the ODIs, when they will look back at this match, they will say that Rohit [Sharma], Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] and [Jasprit] Bumrah were not there and despite that, you are not even able to complete."

Chopra feels KL Rahul and Co. will pull off a win by the fourth day of the Test match. The former Indian opener said:

"There were moments that you let go. According to me, Bangladesh have been extremely ordinary and you will see the negative consequence of that tomorrow or [the] day after, when the match will be over in four days."

Kuldeep Yadav (4/33) and Mohammed Siraj (3/13) were the chief architects of Bangladesh's collapse. Umesh Yadav also chipped in with a wicket, getting rid of Yasir Ali.

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"I don't think so" - Aakash Chopra on whether India will give the follow-on

Mohammed Siraj blew away Bangladesh's top order. [P/C: BCCI/Twitter]

Aakash Chopra feels India will not enforce the follow-on even if they are in a position to do so, reasoning:

"Will India give the follow-on? I don't think so. If it had been the fourth day, they would have given it, but it is just the third day and you are behind by 281 runs. Even if you play very well, we will be in a situation to give the follow-on."

The reputed commentator opined that India will look to set a massive fourth-innings target for the hosts, stating:

"India will not give the follow-on, they will bat again, score some more runs, and then will give 500-550 runs by tomorrow evening. Then they will ask Bangladesh to see if they can bat for two days. But in my opinion, the match has become one-sided now."

Bangladesh trail India by 271 runs at the moment. It will require a herculean effort from them to stage a comeback in this Test match.