"It's a type of anomaly" - Aakash Chopra on India's batting in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has highlighted the Indian batters' contrasting returns in their first innings of the first Test against England. He pointed out that while three of the top six batters scored centuries, two were dismissed for ducks.

India were bowled out for 471 on Day 2 at Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, June 21. England were 209/3 in their first innings at Stumps, trailing the visitors by 262 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that while Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147) and Rishabh Pant (134) scored centuries, Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair failed to open their account.

"Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant were looking very good at one point. Both scored centuries and eventually got out. Karun Nair didn't open his account. Sai Sudharsan hadn't opened his account earlier. It's a type of anomaly, as three centuries were scored on one side and two ducks came in between," he said (8:40).

Chopra added that India also suffered a collapse when they seemed headed to a mammoth total, highlighting that a young side is expected to be inconsistent.

"Shardul Thakur was dismissed, and Ollie Pope leapt to take Karun Nair's catch. I won't say we have ceded the advantage, but there was a chance to score 550-600 runs. You fell short of that by a distance. Since we have a very young Test side, get used to it. You will have collapses at times, less or more runs might be scored as the series progresses," he observed.

India were comfortably placed at 430/3 at one stage, with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant at the crease. However, they lost their last seven wickets for 41 runs, failing to reach the 500-run mark.

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"Lion-hearted performance" - Aakash Chopra lauds Ben Stokes' spell in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Ben Stokes picked up four wickets in India's first innings. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Ben Stokes for his potent bowling performance in India's first innings.

"Lion-hearted performance, the way he bowled. It's not easy to pick up four wickets, but he has done that. Actually, for the first time after a long time. When Ben Stokes was playing the last time against India in India, he was doing limited bowling. You always asked that question that he wasn't living up to his name," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that the five-match series might eventually be remembered for the England captain's all-round performances.

"When these five matches end, we might remember this series as that Ben Stokes series, that he bowled very well and created some magic in batting. I have a strong feeling that this series will belong to Ben Stokes, the captain, and Ben Stokes, the all-rounder. This time, I do have a feeling that the guy will look slightly different," Chopra observed.

Ben Stokes registered figures of 4/66 in 20 overs in India's first innings. He is yet to bat in England's first innings and will likely walk out to the middle at the fall of the next wicket.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer