Aakash Chopra highlighted that Ravindra Jadeja didn’t boost Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) innings as needed against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2024. His knock was unbeaten 57 off 40 balls. That helped CSK set 177-run target for LSG. But KL Rahul’s team chased it easily, with eight wickets and an over remaining. This handed CSK their third loss in seven games.
Chopra, who reviewed CSK’s batting in a video posted on his YouTube channel, stated that Ravindra Jadeja fell short of expectations.
“Jaddu had to be sent up the order. Jaddu scored a fifty and stayed unbeaten till the end as well but he couldn’t accelerate in the end the way you expect from him. If you have been sent at No. 4, got to bat almost in the powerplay and you stay till the end, you should score 70-80 runs in 40 balls. The thinking is like that but he didn’t reach there.”
Aakash Chopra
On the other hand, the former India opener lauded MS Dhoni for a brilliant innings.
“What a guy he (Dhoni) is. When he comes, people bowl a wide yorker to him on the first ball. If that becomes a wide or he hits over cover, everyone comes under pressure. Then they are unable to bowl to him.”
“He hit over cover, hit Yash Thakur for a six when he bowled at the stumps, then on the off side, and a 360-degree shot against Mohsin Khan. An upgraded and updated version has come. MS Dhoni 2.0, 3.0, 5.0 – God knows. He is telling others that the lion has gotten old but is still No. 1 while hunting.”
Aakash Chopra
Dhoni scored an undefeated 28 off nine balls, with three fours and two sixes. He controlled the unbroken 35-run seventh-wicket stand with Jadeja.
“It’s a problem” – Aakash Chopra on CSK’s opening partnership
Rachin Ravindra’s poor performance worries Aakash Chopra. The former Indian opener examines CSK’s batting, noting Ravindra’s repeated failures. His inability to score runs poses
“The start was not good. In my opinion, it’s a problem. Chennai have won four games and will play the next three at home and might win all three. They might qualify and lift the trophy as well but the truth is that they are not batting that well because Rachin Ravindra is not doing well.”
“If Rachin doesn’t do well, suddenly you feel that the opening partnership is not happening at all. If a team doesn’t have opening partnerships, it’s rare for them to do well for long. So they are stuck. Ajju (Ajinkya Rahane) played for some time and scored runs as well.”
Aakash Chopra
Ravindra, who had a few of impressive cameos at the start of the competition, has a best score of 21 in his past five innings. It remains to be seen whether CSK will stick with him, given that Devon Conway has already been ruled out of this season’s IPL.
