The first Test between India and the West Indies was a one-sided affair at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium this week. Shubman Gill‘s team declared for 448/5, while the tourists only scored 162 and 146 in their two innings. India triumphed by an innings and 140 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra questioned why the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would not schedule pink-ball Tests against the West Indies, which would have allowed Roston Chase and his teammates an opportunity to be more competitive.
Chopra also believes that this would have provided India with much-needed practice for pink-ball matches during overseas tours.
“Why don’t we play pink-ball Test matches? When we go to play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, we play a pink-ball Test match. We play in Adelaide and lose there. We play because Australia get a lot of revenue from that. However, we play one Test in two or three years. Why do we play?” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“Either don’t play there, or if you are playing there, play here too. Both Test matches should have been played with the pink ball because there is no excitement, competition, contest, and skill level. At least the opposing team might become slightly competitive. Our players might be challenged a little more,” he added.
Aakash Chopra bats for a two-tier system after lopsided Ahmedabad encounter
The cricketer-turned-commentator feels that a two-tier structure should be adopted in Test cricket to facilitate more competition between teams.
“Make it two-tier – that has become my pet peeve now. If before the match started, you say it would be over in two-and-a-half days, that the West Indies aren’t capable of more than that, and if it happens like that on a good surface, where you get out for 162 once and 146 the second time, where the Indian team lost only five wickets and the opposing team lost 20, how can you say there should be a contest?” he said.
Chopra said that the fans cannot be blamed if they are not interested in watching the action between India and the West Indies, as the gulf in quality between the two sides is significant, and the contest between bat and ball isn’t great.
“Test cricket is our most unique format, which is played over five days, where the WTC has come and everything has been done, but can I complain if you are not watching it? It’s not your mistake. Don’t watch, it’s okay, because nothing worth watching is happening,” Chopra observed.
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