Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra questioned Kolkata Knight Riders’ batting order after they suffered a four-run loss against Lucknow Super Giants at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Tuesday. The defending champions continued to rejig their batting order, which surprised the reputed commentator.
Chasing a huge target of 239 runs, KKR decided to promote Ramandeep Singh to number five whereas Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who was batting at number four in the earlier matches, batted at number six. Rinku Singh, who scored a blistering knock of 38 runs off just 15 balls, batted lower down the order at number eight.
“Ramandeep came up the order. Raghuvanshi came up the order and Rinku was sent down the order. I am still unable to understand this team’s batting order. Even if you are seeing five or seven balls, you are doing wrong there as well,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The former KKR batter urged the think tank to promote Rinku Singh in the batting order for the upcoming matches.
“I request with folded hands that you should send Rinku Singh slightly up the order. Mandatorily needing a left-right combination does not work out all the time. If Harshit Rana had given him the strike in the end, you wouldn’t have lost by four runs. The run chase would have happened,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane scored 61 runs off 35 balls as the KKR captain continued his rich form. Chopra lauded Rahane for his shot-making in the tournament.
“Ajinkya Rahane is batting very well. He is batting with great freedom. He is using his bottom hand extremely well. Some of his pick-up shots go into the incredible category. He hit sixes with those shots. He got out eventually, but he is batting extremely well,” he said.
The renowned commentator also praised Venkatesh Iyer for scoring 45 runs off 29 balls but feels KKR lost wickets at a wrong time.
“Venkatesh Iyer was sent up the order this time. That was a good thing they did. He also scored his quota of runs, but wickets fell at the wrong time. First Ajinkya fell and wickets started to fall after that. Lucknow’s bowling has been very ordinary. It’s their weak link and it’s getting exposed a little. However, well done LSG, you won another match,” Chopra observed.
Kolkata Knight Riders will next take on Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Friday.
