Former India cricketers RP Singh and Aakash Chopra opened up on captain Rohit Sharma‘s tactics during Day 1 of the ongoing 4th Test against England in Ranchi. RP Singh and Chopra felt that Rohit underbowled left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav on the opening day. Kuldeep bowled just 10 overs on Day 1, and had to wait until the 42nd over to get his chance. Despite failing to bag a wicket, Kuldeep was India’s second most economical bowler at the JSCA Stadium after Ravindra Jadeja.
While RP Singh and Chopra weren’t critical of Rohit for his tactics, they felt that the Indian skipper relied too much on veteran spinner Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
“The bowlers put in a lot of effort. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and both the fast bowlers put in a lot of effort. Siraj bowled better in his second spell than his first. The only thing I have a doubt about is that you didn’t use Kuldeep Yadav as much as you should have,” RP Singh said on Jio Cinema.
“Jadeja and Ashwin were over bowled and Kuldeep couldn’t bowl that much because of that, and this happens as well. When you have three spinners, and all three are wicket-takers, one of the bowlers is underbowled many times and that happened with Kuldeep here,” he added.
Chopra explained that Rohit had too many options in the bowling department, comparing his situation like going to a buffet.
“It’s right, you are spoilt for choices when you have five bowlers. You get confused at times when you go to a buffet. Kuldeep Yadav was 100% introduced late. He could have been bowled a little earlier,” Chopra explained.
Meanwhile, debutant pacer Akash Deep was the pick of the bowlers for India on Day 1.
He struck thrice in the first session to end the day with figures of 3/70.
The Bengal pacer got Ben Duckett as his first wicket before trapping Pope leg before wicket two balls later.
Two overs later, he bowled Zak Crawley, who said it was “tough” facing the “skiddy bowler”.
England reached 302/7 at stumps with Joe Root (106) and Ollie Robinson (31) unbeaten.
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