"When it happens in England, it's called a sporting pitch" - Aakash Chopra on 28 wickets falling on first 2 days of 2025 WTC final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has highlighted that the pitch would have been criticized had 28 wickets fallen in the first two days' play in India, as has happened in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. He noted that the Lord's pitch will instead be termed a sporting surface.

Australia and South Africa were bowled out for 212 and 138 in their respective first innings of the WTC final. The Aussies ended Day 2 (Thursday, June 12) at Lord's at 144/8 in their second innings, with a lead of 218 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener wondered why there hasn't been an uproar about the Lord's pitch used for the 2025 WTC final.

"A big question I had about this Lord's Test match was that if these 28 wickets had fallen in India in two days' play, wouldn't the western media have created an uproar, as to what sort of pitch they play, the ball is turning and bouncing, batting has become very difficult, and how such pitches can be allowed, that India is doctoring pitches and killing Test cricket," Chopra said (1:55).

"You would have seen these headlines from The Telegraph to The Sydney Morning Herald, and you would have felt what you have done. However, when it happens in England, it's called a sporting pitch, that the batters' defensive technique has gotten spoiled as the ball is not moving that much. If the batters' defensive technique has gotten spoiled, it's valid in India as well," he added.

Beau Webster and Steve Smith, who scored 72 and 66 respectively in Australia's first innings, are the only two players to score a half-century in the WTC final thus far. While Kagiso Rabada (5/51) tormented the Australian batters in their first innings, Pat Cummins (6/28) ran through the South African batting lineup in their first essay.

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"Just because it hasn't happened before today, it doesn't mean it cannot happen now" - Aakash Chopra on the possibility of South Africa winning 2025 WTC final

David Bedingham (45) was the only South African batter to score more than 40 runs in their first innings. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on the state of the 2025 WTC final, Aakash Chopra noted that Australia's invincible record while defending 200-plus targets at Lord's doesn't imply that they wouldn't lose this time too.

"Where is the match standing? The lead is more than 200 runs. Australia have never lost a match while defending more than 200 runs in the last innings at Lord's. However, just because it hasn't happened before today, it doesn't mean it cannot happen now," he said (9:15) in the same video.

While acknowledging that Australia are slightly ahead in the game, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that South Africa could spring a surprise.

"Of course, it's difficult, but the truth is that catches are not carrying to slip now. So you might be forced slightly to bowl within the stumps, and if you do that, the chances of runs getting scored increase. I think it's 70-30 in favor of Australia. However, if South Africa show a little more fight in batting this time, we might be in for a history-creating Test match," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra opined that Australia will probably defend their crown successfully. However, he added that if South Africa pull off a miracle, history will be seen getting created.