The World Test Championship 2025 (WTC) final at Lord’s has become a talking point not just for the high voltage cricket action but also for the nature of the pitch. With 28 wickets tumbling in just the first two days—Australia bowled out for 212, South Africa for 138, and the Aussies teetering at 144/8 in their second innings—the cricketing world is abuzz. Former India opener Aakash Chopra has seized the moment to highlight a double standard he sees in how pitch conditions are discussed, depending on where in the world they occur.
Aakash Chopra questions Lord’s pitch after the fall of 28 wickets in two days of WTC 2025 final
Chopra’s commentary cuts straight to the heart of a long-standing debate: the global media’s differing reactions to challenging pitches in England versus India. Chopra pointedly remarked that if 28 wickets had fallen in India over two days, there would have been a media uproar, with accusations of “doctoring pitches” and “killing Test cricket” flying thick and fast. Such surfaces in India are often labeled as unfair or unfit for Test cricket, especially when the ball turns and bounces, making batting a stern test.
However, when a similar scenario unfolds at Lord’s, the home of cricket, the narrative shifts. The pitch is described as “sporting,” and the conversation pivots to technical deficiencies in batting or the brilliance of seam bowling.
“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, that the batters’ defensive technique has gotten spoiled as the ball is not moving that much. If the batters’ defensive technique has gotten spoiled, it’s valid in India as well,” Chopra stated on his You Tube channel, exposing what he sees as a clear hypocrisy in cricketing discourse.
WTC 2025 mace hangs in the balance between Australia and South Africa
The match itself has been a rollercoaster. Australia, despite their modest first-innings total, managed to secure a lead of 218 runs by the end of Day 2, but not without resistance from the South African bowlers. The contest has been dominated by the pacers, with only two half-centuries—by Steve Smith and Beau Webster—standing out amid a flurry of wickets. Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins have led the charge for their respective sides, exploiting the pitch’s unpredictable bounce and movement.
Chopra, while acknowledging Australia’s historical record of defending 200-plus targets at Lord’s, cautioned that history is no guarantee of future results.
“Australia have never lost a match while defending more than 200 runs in the last innings at Lord’s. However, just because it hasn’t happened before today, it doesn’t mean it cannot happen now,” he added, suggesting that South Africa could still script a dramatic turnaround.
