the beaten path saying

[user_gary]

Chappell could be seen returning to India perhaps as a consultant to to the National Cricket Academy, a move appreciated by BCCI vice-president Shashank Manohar and former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur.

Sanjay Jagdale's report, too, was along expected lines. He chose to stick to the beaten path saying:
* The entire team, particularly the batsmen failed in key games against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka


Jagdale too thought that youngsters should be inducted to improve Indian cricket


Please explain `the beaten path saying' which I have marked as bold words.

[Barb_D]

If you picture a path that is overgrown with weeds, it's not used much. But the path that has been beaten (down) is used a lot.

You extend this as a metaphor. If you say things that others have already said, you are sticking to the beaten path in what you say.

[Anglika]

Poor punctuation again:

He chose to stick to [the beaten path], saying: