'If 28 wickets had fallen in India...': Western media's WTC final double standards lambasted in explosive rant
Former India opener Aakash Chopra lashed out at the western media for their double standards after 28 wickets fell on the first two days of the World Test Championship final at Lord's, London. On a pitch, having assistance for the pacers, both Australia and South Africa took advantage of it to run riot with the ball. Asked to bat first on Day 1, Australia were bundled out for 212 courtesy a five-wicket haul by Kagiso Rabada. Meanwhile, Australia replied strongly by bowling out South Africa for a mere 138 as Pat Cummins claimed a six-fer to take business into his own hands.
Chopra was left unimpressed by the silence from the Western media over Lord's bowler-friendly pitch — a stark contrast, he pointed out, to the uproar that would surely erupt if a similar surface were dished up in India.
"A big question I had about this Lord's Test match was that if these 28 wickets had fallen in India in two days' play, wouldn't the western media have created an uproar, as to what sort of pitch they play, the ball is turning and bouncing, batting has become very difficult, and how such pitches can be allowed, that India is doctoring pitches and killing Test cricket," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Pitches in India have frequently come under fire for allegedly offering an unfair advantage to the home team, fueling ongoing controversy about the balance between bat and ball. A dramatic example came during the 2021 Ahmedabad Test, when England fell to a heavy defeat within just two days as India's spinners ran riot, exploiting the turning surface to their advantage. The match, which saw 17 wickets tumble on the second day alone, drew significant criticism from former players, commentators, and even the England camp — with reports suggesting team management was considering filing a formal complaint over the condition of the pitch.
Chopra took aim at major Western media outlets, arguing that when a bowler-friendly surface is prepared in England, it's hailed as a 'sporting pitch'—but when the track starts turning from Day 1 in India, it's immediately met with criticism.
"You would have seen these headlines from The Telegraph to The Sydney Morning Herald, and you would have felt what you have done. However, when it happens in England, it's called a sporting pitch, where the batters' defensive technique has got spoilt as the ball is not moving that much. If the batters' defensive technique has been spoiled, it's valid in India as well," he added.
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