Former India batter Aakash Chopra sparked a sharp debate on social media after 19 wickets fell on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test in Perth. England were dismissed for just 172, and Australia collapsed in reply to 123/9 as Ben Stokes ripped through the lineup with a five-wicket haul.

Reacting to the dramatic day’s play, Chopra said that if such a collapse had happened on a subcontinental pitch, it would have triggered widespread criticism and questions about the future of Test cricket itself. His remark appeared to reference the backlash that followed the India–South Africa Test in Kolkata, where the Eden Gardens pitch was heavily criticised after 17 wickets fell on Day 2.

Chopra took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration, calling the contrasting reactions “peak hypocrisy.”
“Make that 19 wickets. Such an ‘outcome’ on a subcontinental pitch would've meant the death of Test cricket. Peak hypocrisy?? Again, maintaining that I'm only following the score... haven't watched the game. That's why I used the word 'outcome',” he posted.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik voiced similar thoughts. He suggested that fans often react differently depending on the type of pitch, arguing that conditions favouring fast bowlers are viewed more favourably than spin-friendly surfaces.
“Is it fair to say people like to see pacers picking plenty of wickets on spicy pitches than spinners on a turning pitch? And if that's the case, WHY?????” he asked.

All 19 wickets on Day 1 in Perth were taken by fast bowlers, intensifying the debate around pitch perception and bias.