Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes the Hyderabad pitch didn’t suit the home team, Sunrisers Hyderabad after they suffered a seven-wicket loss against Gujarat Titans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Chopra noted that the Orange Army’s batting order would collapse on a spin-friendly pitch. Sai Kishore was once again right on the money for GT, returning with figures of 2-24 in his quota of four overs. The left-arm orthodox spinner accounted for Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen.
Furthermore, Rashid Khan, who hasn’t been at his best in IPL 2025, bowled an economical spell, conceding 31 runs in four overs.
“Hyderabad are not getting the pitch they want. What sort of pitch did you prepare? They will collapse if you prepare a turning pitch for them, and that’s become a reality. It used to be a six-hitting capital, and they hit only two sixes, that too in the end,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
SRH were restricted to 152-8 after Shubman Gill won the toss but Chopra reckons the home team were 20 runs short of a par score.
“However, a 150-run pitch. If you had played extremely well, it was a 170-run pitch. This wasn’t a 250 to 270-run pitch. Things have changed, and suddenly, the dreaded team is looking meek because this pitch doesn’t suit them. Whoever came kept hitting and got out,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers for GT, returning with his best IPL bowling figures of 4-17 in his quota of four overs. Chopra showered praise on Siraj after he dismissed Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, and Simarjeet Singh.
“Wickets were taken at the start. Mohammed Siraj – Miyan Magic didn’t pick up any wickets in the first match, took two in the second, three in the third, and four in the fourth. Will he take five wickets in the next match? His bowling has been outstanding,” he said in the same video.
Chopra hailed Siraj for delivering at both ends of the innings, as he got the ball to swing and reverse swing.
“He even said that he can apply the saliva now. So the ball reverses as well. He pitched the ball up and kept it within the stumps. He dismissed the openers and picked up wickets in the end as well. He was absolutely stellar,” Chopra observed.
GT will next take on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
