Aakash Chopra pinpoints India's primary issue after crushing defeat in Ranchi

Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan [Source: AP]

On Friday, New Zealand crushed India by 21 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series. On a spin-friendly track, the BlackCaps posted an above-par 176 and defended the score successfully to go one-nil up in the series. 

During the chase, Indian batters, apart from Washington Sundar, were disappointing to the core. Importantly, India's top order, comprising Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tripathi looked clueless, which raised a few eyebrows. 

After India's disastrous batting performance, former opener Aakash Chopra termed the non-performing top order as their primary issue. 

A cricketer turned broadcaster, Chopra highlighted Ishan's poor form, expressing his disappointment at Gill's ordinary batting in the shortest format. He also termed Suryakumar Yadav's dismissal as the game-changing moment in the face-off. 

Here's what Chopra said

"It is a slightly misfiring top order. The start was not good. The ball hit Ishan Kishan's stumps. He has a highest of 36 in his last 12 innings in T20Is. Shubman Gill - the ball got stuck, and he got caught. Shubman Gill in T20Is - not a fantastic story at this point in time,

"Rahul Tripathi - it is a slightly young career; it has just started but he couldn't open his account here. Suryakumar Yadav hit an extremely beautiful six over cover, and then he was dismissed off the next ball. That I think was the game-changing moment."

Meanwhile, India will be under the pump in the second T20I as a loss will hand them a series defeat. 

So, they will look to bounce back when they meet the Kiwis in the next fixture scheduled in Lucknow on Sunday. 

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