India’s dominant innings win over West Indies in the opening Test was expected. But not everyone was thrilled by how one-sided things looked.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra expressed disappointment over the lack of pink-ball Tests in the ongoing series, saying such matches could have given the Indian team a tougher challenge and better preparation for future away tours.
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Chopra, in his YouTube video, raised questions about the scheduling and said the BCCI missed an opportunity to test players in different conditions.
Why did India avoid playing pink-ball Tests at home?
Chopra argued that while India continues to play pink-ball Tests overseas, especially in Australia, they rarely host one themselves.
"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.
He added that pink-ball games could have made the West Indies series more interesting, as the current setup feels too one-sided.
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India bowled out the visitors for just 146 runs in the second innings in Ahmedabad, winning by an innings and 140 runs, a result that showed the massive gulf between the two teams.
According to Chopra, including a pink-ball fixture could have increased the competition.
"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.
The former cricketer concluded that BCCI should consider pink-ball matches more seriously as part of India’s long-term Test cricket strategy.
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