IPL 2021: When One Of Them Gets Out, The Team Becomes Half. If Both Get Out, They Are Totally Finished”-Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings’ Dependency On Their Openers

Aakash Chopra while previewing the clash between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings has highlighted how the Kings have been overly dependent on their openers to score most of the runs for them. They play in a do-or-die game against CSK with their place in the playoffs at stake in Dubai.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have scored over 350 runs as an opening partnership in a losing game for their side. Their loss against Rajasthan Royals was an evident example of how much the team is dependent on their openers. Against KKR, they somehow managed to get over the line taking the game to the last over.

“The cream is at the top where Rahul and Mayank come and do the hitting. Till the time they play it is like Basanti jab tak tumhare paon chalenge tab tak inki saanse chalengi, jab tak Rahul aur Mayank ikhate chalte rahenge tab tak Punjab Kings acha khelti rahegi.”

Chopra also spoke about how the rest of the Punjab batters have found it difficult to score in UAE conditions. He also pointed out their lack of consistency in the middle-order.

“When one of them gets out, the team becomes half. If both get out, they are totally finished. Whether it is Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram or Deepak Hooda – it has not happened.”

The Cream Is At The Top: Aakash Chopra

While Rahul and Mayank have amassed 528 and 429 runs respectively in the current edition of the Indian Premier League, none of the other batters have even reached the 200-run mark.

In an IPL season, most partnership runs added by an opening pair in matches lost:-

456 – KL Rahul & Mayank Agarwal in 2020
385* – KL Rahul & Mayank Agarwal in 2021#IPL2021 #RCBvPBKS

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) October 3, 2021

Aakash Chopra then spoke about the bowling attack of the side. The former Indian opener said that Mohammed Shami and Arhdeep Singh have been their stand-out bowlers. He also said that Harpreet Brar can be an option for the Kings against the CSK side led by MS Dhoni who is not in the best of form himself.

“They have been bowling well. Arshdeep has been very good, Shami has been good, Ravi Bishnoi has been good. So these three bowlers are doing a great job. Nathan Ellis okay okay. Harpreet Brar actually bowls well, you can play him against Chennai because left-arm spin, you can wait for Dhoni, you can bowl him in front of Ruturaj and Faf also” Chopra concluded.