Former India opener Aakash Chopra has shared his views on the recent wide-ball controversy that happened in the historic one-off T20I between Japan and India that was played in Sano on September 22.

The rain-affected game was reduced to 5 overs per side, and India struggled to put 32/4 on the board, with Shreyas Iyer top-scoring with 16 runs and Japanese spinners doing well on a sluggish pitch. In response, Japan did well to try and chase the target, but experienced Indian spinners did the job well and won the game by 2 runs.

The highlight and controversy of the game happened in the final over, when a wide decision was reversed by the umpires after the Indian players protested.

The decision to overturn the wide ball was very instrumental in the way the game played out because it could very well have ended up being a tie if the call was made. Social media was very angry at the decision after the game and slammed the Indian team for protesting the decision.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra slammed those who called India cheated to win the game.

“People are saying that India beat Japan by cheating. This is being said because a wide was overturned, and the decision was reversed because India put pressure. People are just creating chaos. There are a lot of people who want to abuse India. You cannot say that we won unfairly, because it was not unfair,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“My understanding at the time was actually wrong. If you don’t hit the switch hit, if you have not swapped your hands, that means you have not become a right-handed batter from a left-handed batter. I felt that the wide line on both sides is given in favor of the bowler when a switch hit is played, not when you play a reverse sweep,” he added.

“The second complication was that, at the time of delivery, right when the bowler released the ball, did the batter change his stance or not? My initial understanding was that if the stance is not changed before the ball is bowled, then the wide shall remain a wide. But my understanding was wrong. I went through the rules and listened to the umpires, and according to the new ICC rules, it does not discriminate between a switch hit and a reverse sweep,” Aakash Chopra explained.

He stated that the wide ball decision was overturned as per ICC laws and there was no need to slam the Indian team for the same.

“So, point one, they view both shots in the same way. Secondly, whether the ball is in the hand or released from the hand, it does not matter when you change your position. It will be counted as the batter having changed his position. So, the benefit of the doubt will go to the bowler. You are both a left-hander and a right-hander in the eyes of the law,” he concluded.

The Indian team will now participate in the Asian Games, where they will directly play in the quarterfinals on September 28.