Cricket

Chennai Super Kings' Opening Conundrum: Aakash Chopra Questions Ajinkya Rahane's RoleFormer Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) decision to persist with Ajinkya Rahane as an opening batsman in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite Rahane's experience, his recent performances have been underwhelming, contributing to CSK's 35-run loss against the Gujarat Titans.Analyzing the match, Chopra highlighted CSK's questionable batting lineup choices. "They didn't play Richard Gleeson, opting for Rachin Ravindra instead. They strengthened the batting by sending Ravindra to open, but Rahane accompanied him," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.Chopra further dissected the situation, emphasizing Rahane's early dismissal and its impact on the team's performance. "Rahane got out to the first ball of the next over. Two wickets had fallen, and when Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed for zero, the match was almost decided as the score became 10/3," Chopra elaborated.Expressing concern over Rahane's continued inclusion in the opening position, Chopra questioned the rationale behind the decision. "There is no clear idea about Rahane's role. Why are they persisting with him for so long? Sameer Rizvi could have played in this match," he added.Amidst the analysis of CSK's performance, Chopra acknowledged the significant contribution of Mohit Sharma, who clinched three crucial wickets in quick succession, tilting the game in favor of the Titans.In the closing stages of the match, MS Dhoni's entry injected excitement into the proceedings as he showcased his trademark batting prowess with a helicopter-style six and two one-handed hits.Chopra's critique underscores the importance of strategic decision-making and player roles in the IPL. CSK's continued reliance on Rahane as an opener, despite his recent struggles, raises questions about the team's overall batting strategy.

Indian Players' Inconsistent Performances Raise Concerns Ahead of T20 World CupFormer Indian cricketer and analyst Aakash Chopra has expressed concerns over the inconsistent performances of Indian players selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube's recent first-ball duck against Punjab Kings has added to the growing list of underwhelming displays by Indian contenders.Chopra highlighted Dube's struggles, noting that he has now recorded two golden ducks in the IPL, both against spinners. He also analyzed CSK's batting performance, acknowledging Ravindra Jadeja's contribution but emphasizing the lack of momentum throughout the innings."After a strong start, wickets kept falling at regular intervals," Chopra said. "Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, and others failed to provide support, leaving Jadeja isolated."Chopra also questioned the consistency of other Indian players selected for the T20 World Cup. He pointed to Arshdeep Singh's expensive bowling performance against Punjab Kings, conceding 10 runs per over in a low-scoring match."What is happening to everyone who has been selected for India?" Chopra asked. "These inconsistent performances are a cause for concern ahead of the T20 World Cup."Chopra's observations underscore the importance of consistent performances by Indian players in the IPL, which serves as a crucial platform for preparation for the global tournament. The upcoming matches will be closely watched to assess the form and readiness of Indian contenders.

Aakash Chopra Slams 'Fan-Armies' for Spreading Fake News About Rohit SharmaFormer India batter Aakash Chopra has vehemently condemned "fan-armies" for attributing a fabricated quote regarding India captain Rohit Sharma to him. In a viral post, a fan account falsely claimed that Chopra had advocated for Rohit's exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad. However, Chopra has vehemently denied making any such comments and has expressed outrage at the user for misquoting him."Aakash Chopra said Rohit Sharma shouldn't have selected for T20 World Cup. He's now even failing in powerplay," the post on X claimed.Chopra took to social media to express his fury at fan-armies for spreading fake news and questioned whether views and engagement were more important than morals."IPL is the best time to spread hate, fake news...and all sorts of rubbish. Fan-armies are there to lap it up always. I often wonder if views/engagement is more important than the morals," Chopra posted on X.Chopra's comments come amidst a time when fake news and misinformation are rampant on social media, particularly during major sporting events like the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has urged fans to be more discerning and to not blindly believe everything they read online.Meanwhile, Rohit will lead India's 15-man squad at the T20 World Cup, which also includes four traveling reserves. After skipping T20Is for over a year, Rohit made his return to the T20I side earlier this year during the series against Afghanistan.Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, Rohit opened up about his break from T20Is, saying that he wanted to focus on the longer formats."When T20 World Cup was happening, we missed a lot of T20Is. Test cricket is a format that you don't want to miss and give priority to. That's what we discussed with the players and the coaches too. Ajit came later. He doesn't know what was discussed. Whichever format happens, we give priority to that format. As 50 over World Cup was happening, we missed a lot of T20Is," Rohit said on missing T20Is after the T20 World Cup 2022.

Aakash Chopra Slams Rishabh Pant's Reckless Batting Approach in Delhi Capitals' LossFormer India cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his disappointment with Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant's batting approach during the team's encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra criticized Pant's reckless shot selection, which ultimately led to his dismissal and contributed to Delhi's defeat."Four wickets fell quickly, and then you hoped captain Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel would take their team out of troubled waters. However, I was very surprised. Rishabh - you cannot bat like that. It seemed like he was trying to do something different off every ball. He tried to play the same shot multiple times," Chopra remarked, highlighting Pant's erratic approach at the crease.Pant's innings was marred by a significant missed opportunity when he was dropped by Harshit Rana at short third man after attempting a risky shot off Varun Chakaravarthy's bowling. Despite the reprieve, Pant persisted with the same high-risk strategy, leading to his eventual dismissal when he was caught by Shreyas Iyer at extra cover off Chakaravarthy's bowling."A catch was dropped, it didn't hit his bat once, but he said that he wouldn't even listen to himself once he had committed, and he got out. He has gotten out to Varun Chakaravarthy twice in two games. Very, very surprising, the way he was batting. We have seen Pant playing much better than that," Chopra added, expressing his disappointment with Pant's failure to capitalize on the opportunity to stabilize the innings.Delhi Capitals' below-par total of 153/9, compounded by Pant's dismissal, proved to be insufficient as Kolkata Knight Riders comfortably chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and 21 deliveries to spare. The defeat dented DC's hopes of further consolidating their position in the IPL points table, prompting scrutiny of Pant's decision-making and batting approach by pundits and fans alike.

Delhi Capitals' Gamble Backfires at Eden GardensDelhi Capitals' decision to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Monday proved to be a costly one, as they posted a below-par total of 153/9. KKR comfortably chased down the target with seven wickets in hand and 21 deliveries to spare, solidifying their second spot in the IPL points table.Former India cricketer and renowned analyst Aakash Chopra expressed surprise at DC's decision to bat first after winning the toss. He highlighted the historical trend at Eden Gardens, where teams batting first have struggled to secure victories in recent matches."Who bats first after winning the toss? I am not being too critical but I have to talk about it if it's the truth," Chopra remarked. He pointed out that the team winning the toss has opted to bat first only twice in the last 30 matches at Eden Gardens, both resulting in losses for the batting side.Chopra emphasized that while chasing doesn't always guarantee victory, the reluctance to bat first in Kolkata has become a noticeable trend. Despite DC's recent successes while batting first in Delhi, Chopra questioned the decision to replicate the strategy at Eden Gardens."Whatever happens, the batting becomes slightly easier later but Delhi said they would bat first. I was surprised. If Sourav Ganguly couldn't read this pitch, who could have? This pitch is like the back of his palm. You know all of it, so it wasn't understandable," he remarked, suggesting that even DC's mentor Sourav Ganguly, with his intimate knowledge of the pitch, may have misjudged the conditions.Chopra's critique sheds light on the strategic nuances of IPL cricket, highlighting the importance of adaptability and tactical awareness in decision-making.

Gujarat Titans' Sluggish Start and Shahrukh Khan's Impact in IPL Clash Against RCBFormer Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has analyzed Gujarat Titans' performance in their IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, highlighting their sluggish start and the impactful innings of Shahrukh Khan.Chopra's analysis on his YouTube channel reveals that the Titans struggled in the initial overs of their innings, scoring at a slow pace. "They played extremely slow in the first six overs," he said. "It seemed like a slow pitch, but you still need to score runs."Despite a solid middle-order performance, the Titans failed to accelerate their scoring rate consistently. Chopra emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum throughout the innings.Sai Sudharsan's consistent performance was praised by Chopra. "He has become synonymous with consistency," he said. "He plays clean cricket and doesn't try to hit the ball hard."Shahrukh Khan's impact on the match was significant. Chopra noted his unorthodox style and effectiveness in shifting the momentum in favor of the Titans. "Shahrukh Khan changed the direction of the winds," he remarked.Khan's partnership with Sudharsan, which yielded 86 runs off just 45 balls, provided a much-needed boost to the Titans' innings.In contrast, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's commanding victory was fueled by a sensational century from Will Jacks and a rejuvenated performance by Virat Kohli.Chopra's analysis offers valuable insights into the key moments of the match, highlighting the Titans' missed opportunities.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his disappointment with Punjab Kings' (PBKS) approach in their recent loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Chopra criticized the team's decision to not utilize in-form batter Shashank Singh effectively.Chasing a target of 193, PBKS lost four early wickets, leaving them in a precarious position. Despite an explosive knock from Ashutosh Sharma, who brought them close to victory, they ultimately fell short by nine runs. Chopra believes that PBKS's decision to treat Singh as a finisher, rather than playing him in the top order, was a major factor in their defeat."When your team is 14/4, it seems like the match can't be won because you are too far behind, and your four main players', whom you consider your main players, innings' have ended. Shashank comes in such a situation and Jitesh (Sharma) was there with him," Chopra said on his YouTube channel."I would want to say one thing about Shashank. The way he is batting, how did you decide that he is your finisher only, that even though he is batting well, you won't send him up the order? What is the point? Someone who is batting well and has the temperament is not a finisher only. He plays red-ball cricket and is an experienced player," he added.Stand-in skipper San Curran praised Shashank and Ashutosh for their performances but acknowledged the disappointment of losing such close matches. "Another close one, I think this team likes a close one, but unfortunately another loss. Another incredible knock from the young guy (on Ashutosh), but another close loss. It's very tough, you want to lose close games rather than getting absolutely thumped, but we've lost a lot of wickets at the start, the way the younger guys have taken the team so close is heartening (on Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma)," Curran said."They have incredible confidence, you see a guy like Ashutosh having the confidence to play the sweeps and the big hits against pacers, it's so great to watch them in action. It's disheartening to lose close games, but there are a lot of positives in this team. We still have the belief in us, we believe we can turn this around, the sun will come up tomorrow and we will hopefully get on a winning run," Curran added.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's recent struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have raised concerns about his place in India's T20 World Cup squad. The left-handed opener, who was among the top run-getters in the previous IPL season, has managed only 122 runs in six matches this year.Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed his worry about Jaiswal's form, stating that he is "trying to murder every ball" instead of playing with his natural timing. Chopra urged Rajasthan Royals' director of cricket operations, Kumar Sangakkara, or India captain Rohit Sharma to intervene and provide guidance to the young batter."I am getting slightly worried about Yashasvi because Yashasvi didn't used to play like this. He is trying to murder every ball. You are a very good player, and you are good because you believe in timing. You are not a wrestler and you are not Andre Russell. Your playing style is very different," Chopra said.Jaiswal's poor form has opened the door for other young batters to stake their claim for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, and Riyan Parag have all impressed with their performances in the IPL.With Virat Kohli also being considered as an opening option alongside Shubman Gill, Jaiswal's continued struggles could result in him being dropped from the World Cup race.

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 fast approaching, cricket enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the performances of their favorite players. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has identified the opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler as his top pick for the upcoming season.Chopra believes that Jaiswal's exceptional form in recent times makes him a formidable force at the top of the order. "His 600-plus IPL season is almost loading," Chopra said. "When you head into a tournament with such confidence, you bat at a different level."Complementing Jaiswal's brilliance is Jos Buttler, who Chopra expects to bounce back from a disappointing IPL 2023 campaign. "He had a very ordinary season last year," Chopra noted. "But after that, he did well in the SA20. And for how long will you keep Buttler quiet?"Chopra also highlighted the potential of Chennai Super Kings' opening pair, Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad. "You might get more consistency from Chennai because they have Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad," he said. "Although Devon Conway's recent form hasn't been great, something happens to him as soon as he reaches Chennai.""Ruturaj Gaikwad must also be itching because he hasn't played much cricket from the last IPL until now," Chopra added. "It could be the most consistent kind of pair. It might not be very explosive but you can keep it towards the top in terms of consistency."Other notable opening combinations that Chopra mentioned include Mumbai Indians' Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma and Harry Brook, and Punjab Kings' Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal. However, he believes that Jaiswal and Buttler have the edge due to their current form and the potential for a long-term partnership.