Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra questioned Chennai Super Kings’ approach despite their five-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday. Chopra said Chennai had a golden opportunity to increase their Net Run Rate but the five-time champions took the run chase of 204 to the final over.
Urvil Patel broke the back of the run chase as he completed the joint fastest fifty in IPL history, off 13 balls. The Gujarat batter smashed 65 runs off just 23 balls but the rest of the CSK batters took their time. When Patel was dismissed, CSK were 126-2 after 9.2 overs but from there on, the hosts failed to bat in topmost gear.
Kartik Sharma scored a run-a-ball 20 whereas Dewald Brevis scored 10 runs off 12 balls. Eventually, Prashant Veer and Shivam Dube took CSK over the line.
“As soon as Urvil Patel got out, CSK’s innings got so slow that you felt they could have thought a little about the net run rate as well. There are two points for sure, which is great, but there is a chance to improve the net run rate, and you fritter it away repeatedly. I don’t like this personally. If you focus a little on net run rate, it might prove handy in the end in terms of qualification if you drop an odd match,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra praised Urvil Patel for his blistering knock and batting at the top of his game against LSG.
“Ruturaj first batted well, Sanju gave an explosive start, and then came Urvil’s storm. He took out a chit that said, ‘This is for you, papa.’ He hits a lot of sixes. There is no doubt about that. CSK had made a slight pivot last year of going towards him for aggressive cricket,” he observed.
The renowned commentator praised Patel for his free-flowing batting and making the most of his chance.
“He has got few chances, but he has been outstanding in whatever chances he has got. Joint-fastest fifty. How well he batted in this match. He is tall and is an extremely free-flowing batter. He was going at a strike rate of 500 at one point,” Chopra noted.
Chennai Super Kings will once again take on Lucknow Super Giants at Lucknow on Friday.
