Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra slammed Indian bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi for loss against England in 2nd T20I. Chopra pointed out that the match slipped away due to costly overs from the bowlers. India is still on the hunt for their first win since becoming world champions. Under new captain Shreyas Iyer, the team has now gone four matches without a victory, which includes a 2-0 series defeat to Ireland, a rain-affected game against England, and now this latest loss that leaves them trailing 0-1 in the five-match series.
India had posted 190/7 and looked capable of defending the total for most of the chase. Arshdeep Singh struck twice in his opening over but conceded 27 runs in his next. Chopra said, “56 runs in two overs, 27 in Arshdeep’s and 29 in Ravi Bishnoi’s, and the match finishes there because you didn’t have 225 to defend. What you had was getting defended. In fact, 58 runs were required in 28 balls at one stage. The match was in India’s grasp, but after that, Jacob Bethell, that Ravi Bishnoi over, and the game got over.”
He pointed out that India had the match under control when England still required 58 runs from 28 balls, but the momentum completely shifted after Bishnoi’s expensive over and Bethell’s attacking strokeplay.
Aakash Chopra Questions Sanju Samson’s Axing, Backs Him for Another Chance
In addition to analyzing India’s loss, Aakash Chopra raised some eyebrows over the decision to drop Sanju Samson. The former opener expressed that Samson deserved another shot instead of being sidelined after his last three innings, where he scored just 5, 0, and 1. Samson was replaced by teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made history as the youngest Indian to debut internationally since Sachin Tendulkar. However, the young talent only managed to score 14 runs off 10 balls, despite hitting a couple of sixes. Chopra argued that if fairness was the goal, Samson should have been given one more chance before such a significant decision was made.
He also questioned the selectors’ long-term vision, as he said, “It doesn’t happen that you make a place for someone, and that’s why you make the other person completely disappear. And who is the person? The person is the one who has won you the World Cup. He failed in three innings, and you have forgotten everything. I mean, that worries me a little. It hurts my heart a little.”
Chopra pointed out that Samson was a standout player for India in the T20 World Cup 2026, racking up 321 runs in five matches and earning the Player of the Tournament title. He also had an impressive IPL 2026 season, scoring 477 runs in 14 matches for the Chennai Super Kings. While he acknowledged Sooryavanshi’s fearless style and the excitement he brings to the game, Chopra maintained that replacing an established player after just three poor innings raises some serious concerns. He also commended Abhishek Sharma for his quickfire 43 off 24 balls against England, noting his strong record against this opponent, even though he was dismissed at the end of the powerplay. Now, India is looking to bounce back and even the series in the third T20I at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Tuesday.
