Former India opener Aakash Chopra slammed the Sri Lankan team for their poor batting display in the ongoing second Test against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which is a day-night affair.
Sri Lanka was bundled out for 109 runs on day two of the Test after they resumed from 86/6. Niroshan Dickwella made 21, while Jasprit Bumrah picked his maiden Test fifer on home soil. Earlier, India managed to put on a fighting 252 on the board thanks to Shreyas Iyer’s brilliant 92-run knock on a bowler-friendly wicket.
Talking about the Sri Lankan bowling performance, Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel, called their bowling ‘terrible’.
“We know there were injuries. There's no Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera or Pathum Nissanka. The team is in transition; that is also okay. But is this the quality of bowling? I found the bowling terrible. Suranga Lakmal is playing his last Test match and he bowled decently. But apart from him, when you look at Embuldeniya, he’s their best bowler but I don't think he is Test class.
Jayawickrama is bowling full-tosses and conceding almost 4.5 runs-per-over on this pitch. That is not Test quality bowling on his surface. If you are bowling bad deliveries in every over, then only you can concede at such run-rate on this pitch,” he said.
Talking further about the side's batting, Aakash said that Sri Lanka has resembled a “Ranji team” so far.
“When it comes to batting, I admit that the ball skids in the pink ball under the light, but there was no application and quality. There was no contest. Sri Lanka were very poor. On a flatter surface in Mohali, they were bowled out twice in five sessions. Here, it's more difficult, so their chances are minimal. Individually, these players are good but collectively, they are absolutely disappointing. Sri Lanka are playing like a Ranji Team of the caliber of Mumbai or Karnataka at the moment,” he added.
