Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra praised the collective bowling performance of Rajasthan Royals after they defended the target of 160 and registered a comprehensive 40-run win against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Wednesday.
LSG was bowled out for a paltry score of 119 runs as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Chopra praised the fast bowling duo of Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, who both made early inroads to put the opposition under the cosh.
While Burger returned with figures of 2-27 in his four overs, Archer bagged 3-20 in his quota of four overs. Furthermore, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi bagged one wicket apiece whereas rookie medium pacer Brijesh Sharma scalped two wickets.
“Jofra Archer with Shane Bond, what a camaraderie. I was talking to Mitchell McClenaghan, and he said Archer listens to Shane Bond. They have a bond. He wasn’t bowling like this for England, but he is doing that here. He did an incredible job with the new ball,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“He realized that he would have to bowl fast in this match. So he bowled 94 percent balls at over 145 kph. He didn’t bowl any slower ones. Nandre Burger, what a signing. They picked an injured player last year and see what he is doing now. Brijesh Sharma bowled back-of-the-hand slower ones and then the faster ones. Ravi Bishnoi did his signature, and Ravindra Jadeja did it one more time,” he added.
Meanwhile, the renowned commentator reckons RR’s batting is currently mediocre if their top three batters fail to deliver the goods.
“They are not very, very good if the top three don’t bat well. They are very, very mediocre right now. They can be better than this. It’s not like they have a GT-like middle order, but the syndrome is the same. Their top three score 70 percent of the runs. What has the batting done if we keep aside Ravindra Jadeja’s two 40-plus scores?” he said.
RR all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja scored a crucial knock of 43 runs off 29 balls to help his team post 159 runs on the board, and Chopra said the former saved his side.
“Ravindra Jadeja saved them this time as well. Ravindra Jadeja did his magic, and you reached a 159-run score, from where you could have fought. It wasn’t a winning score. It was a below-par score. The batters after No. 3 will have to bat better because, whether you agree or not, it is a problem area,” Chopra observed.
Rajasthan Royals will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur, on Saturday.
