“Could we have allowed KL Rahul to score 60-70 runs?” – Aakash Chopra on what India could have done differently in IND vs BAN 2024 1st Test

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma could have allowed KL Rahul to score 60-70 runs in the second innings. Rohit decided to declare India’s second innings at 287-4 when they took a massive lead of 514 runs against Bangladesh at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai.

Rahul was unbeaten on 22 runs in the second essay with Shubman Gill batting on 119 when Rohit decided they had enough runs on the board. Meanwhile, Rahul trudged to 16 runs off 52 balls in the first innings and struggled to bat at his best before he was caught brilliantly at short leg by Zakir Hasan.

On the other hand, Akash Deep, who picked two wickets in the first innings, was given only six overs in the second essay by Rohit Sharma.

“One thing is definitely there, which if they turn back and see, they might say whether they could have done differently. I tell you what, could Akash Deep have been given more bowling, that is one thing they will think about,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“The second thing they would think about is that one-and-a-half days were left, you have won by 280 runs, you didn’t give the follow-on as well, you were not falling short of time, there was no rain coming, so could we have allowed KL Rahul to score 60-70 runs?” the former India opener added.

With so much time left in the game, the renowned commentator reckons giving Rahul some time to bat in the middle wouldn’t have impacted the overall result of the game.

“Since the option was available, you could have given him the chance, because it wouldn’t have impacted the overall result of the match. That is point one. It wouldn’t have impacted your workload management. When it was not impacting anything, if a player who was on a 19-ball 22 had played for one to one-and-a-quarter hours, it wouldn’t have impacted your health,” he said (10:10).

Recalling Rahul Dravid’s decision to declare against Pakistan in Multan when Sachin Tendulkar was batting on 194, Chopra said, “When you turn back and see, the road looks clear. Paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) was on 194 when Rahul (Dravid) had declared in Multan. When he (Dravid) also was asked after the match, when the match got over on the fourth evening, he said he wouldn’t have declared if he had known.”

The second Test match between India and Bangladesh will be played at Green Park, Kanpur from September 27.