"We have seen this script before" - Aakash Chopra criticizes pitch for IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has criticized the pitch for the first Test against South Africa. He questioned whether India needed to prepare a rank turner to beat South Africa, highlighting that such scripts have backfired multiple times.

South Africa beat India by 30 runs in Kolkata on Sunday, November 16. The hosts were bowled out for 93 in their second innings while chasing a 124-run target.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra wondered whether India needed to prepare an extreme spin-friendly track to beat South Africa, highlighting that such attempts have proved counterproductive previously as well.

"If you had to prepare this only, the South Africa A match, through which you were preparing Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, and the other players, should have been played on a rank turner. Although Shubman Gill missed out here, he was coming from Australia. Do you need such a pitch? It's an ideological question. Is this the best chance for India to win?" the former India opener said.

"It's not about my skill, temperament, or technique. It's about the team, whether the Indian team will progress in the WTC or not. Is there only one way for India to win the match against South Africa? We have seen this against New Zealand as well, before that against Australia in Indore, against Australia in Pune, and against South Africa in Nagpur. We have seen this script before," he added.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that such spin-friendly surfaces bring both teams closer. He opined that it cannot be the only way for India to win a Test match at home.

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"He is an exception" - Aakash Chopra on Temba Bavuma's knock in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Temba Bavuma scored an unbeaten half-century in South Africa's second innings. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra noted that Temba Bavuma's half-century was an exception in the game.

"Exceptions define the norm. The one thing that happened showed what everyone else did. We are looking towards Bavuma. He is an exception. One fifty was scored, but 38 wickets fell. Bavuma got out in the first innings as well," he said.

While acknowledging that Bavuma deserves praise, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the South African captain being the only one to score a half-century shows how difficult the pitch was.

"We are talking about Bavuma, and he is praiseworthy, but the others also played. So the exception is showing that it was difficult, as only one guy could do it. It's as simple as that. You can learn from him, but it feels good when you learn while winning," Chopra observed.

Temba Bavuma scored an unbeaten 55 off 136 deliveries in South Africa's second innings. While none of the other players across both sides reached 40, India's 189 in their first innings was the highest total in the game.