Aakash Chopra Questions RR Batting Vs CSK: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra questioned the strategy behind the Rajasthan Royals’ batting performance against the Chennai Super Kings and is baffled by how the team approached this contest.
RR took on CSK in Match 61 of IPL 2024 in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. The away team won the toss and decided to bat first on what was a sticky pitch. The two-star openers gave them a decent start, scoring 40-odd runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket.
But from this point, not only did Yasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler lose their wickets in quick succession, but the team’s run rate slowed down to a snail’s pace, from 50 runs in the ninth over to 90 in the 15th.
Captain Sanju Samson was dismissed after scoring 15 off 19 balls, as the score was 91/3. From here, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel formed a partnership. While Jurel scored 28-off-18, Parag was the star of the show with a not-out 47-off-35.
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But it was not enough, as the Royals only managed a below-par score of 141/5 at the end of their 20 overs.
This target was chased down by the Super Kings fairly easily. While they did lose half of their batting line-up, the home team reached the target with five wickets and 10 balls to spare.
Aakash Chopra Questions RR Batting Vs CSK
Aakash Chopra recently reviewed this game on his YouTube channel. In the video, he was perplexed by the Royals’ inning. He reckoned that if the pitch was indeed slow, why didn’t the batters lose their wickets to spinners?
“I didn’t understand this match. I will be very honest. Rajasthan won the toss and decided to bat. Since it was an afternoon game, batting first made sense. After that, you were at 131/3 before the start of the 20th over. The three wickets were taken by fast bowlers, and the spinners hadn’t done anything,” he pondered.
Chopra went on to posit that no RR batter managed to score massive runs in that inning, saying:
“So I am trying to understand that if this pitch was slow, the batters should have gotten out to spinners. That did not happen. Simarjeet (Singh) picked up wickets, and no batter scored runs. If you score 131 runs in 19 overs, what you did was totally beyond my understanding.”
This win will do wonders for CSK’s playoff chances. With 14 points in 13 matches, they will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their last league stage on May 18, who have two fewer points in as many matches. They are now the favorites, after the top two teams, to make it to the top four.
Despite losing the match, the Rajasthan Royals are all but confirmed for a playoff spot. But three losses on the trot will raise issues on the side. They would still have to win at least one of their two remaining games to confirm a playoff spot and a top-two finish.
RR will take on the Punjab Kings in their next match on May 15 in Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium.
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