'Both frustrating and disappointing': Former India opener echoes Temba Bavuma's frustration

Former India opener echoes Temba Bavuma's frustration (AP Photo)

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has joined the bandwagon on the length of the Test series between India and South Africa. The remarks by Chopra comes a day after Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma expressed disappointment over the contest being limited to just two matches.

Chopra in a post on X didn't mince his words, terming the two-match series for the current World Test Champions "both frustrating and disappointing". He also highlighted the case being same for New Zealand, when they had won the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC).

“It’s both frustrating and disappointing that the current World Test Champions are playing only two 3-match Test series and not a single 4-5 Test match series in this WTC cycle. New Zealand were handed the same fate after winning the Test mace. Cricket Economy > Team Performance,” he wrote on X.

It’s both frustrating and disappointing that the current World Test Champions are playing only two 3-match Test series and not a single 4-5 Test match series in this WTC cycle.
New Zealand were handed the same fate after winning the Test mace.
Cricket Economy > Team…

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 22, 2025

Bavuma addressing the media in Guwahati had referred to the ongoing Ashes in Australia to express his disappointment. "We woke up this morning to watch the Ashes. We watched with a bit of jealousy, knowing that they were playing five Tests. They'll be going at each other," Bavuma remarked, obviously unimpressed that a winning team would play a short series.

"Hopefully, not too far in the future, but more in the near future, we'll go back to play four Tests against India," he hoped.

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Bavuma, who has been in the business long enough, understands players have very little influence over the "mapping of schedules". A cricket nation's financial stability is directly correlated with the amount of Test matches in a series.

"Players are not involved when it comes to mapping out the schedule. I think every of our players who have had the opportunity to interact with the media, have had that question in front of them. They have voiced out their frustration," the Proteas skipper said.