Aakash Chopra advises Punjab Kings team. Play star batsman Rilee Rossouw. Don’t pick Jonny Bairstow instead. It’s for crucial IPL 2024 match. Against Mumbai Indians side. Happening at Mullanpur venue. Match scheduled for April 18, Thursday.
With four points from six games, PBKS is eighth on the points table, one rung above MI based on net run rate. A win over Hardik Pandya and company will put them on the same level as three other teams with six points.
In a YouTube video, Chopra suggested that Rossouw replace Bairstow. He also identified the former as the first Punjab Kings player to watch in Thursday’s game.
“If Shikhar Dhawan isn’t available, I am saying tata bye-bye to Jonny Bairstow. You are not scoring runs and were playing at less than a run-a-ball last time. It makes no sense. Then you move away and say that you should try to do something different. I think you should play Rilee Rossouw in this match. He is sitting outside, so you can play him in place of Bairstow.”
“You can get Atharva Taide and Prabhsimran Singh to open if Shikhar isn’t available. Rilee Rossouw was bought very expensive at the end of the auction and he is the same player who thrashed them (Punjab Kings) in Dharamsala. So play him and expect him to do the job Jonny Bairstow hasn’t been able to do. So my first player is Rilee Rossouw.”
Aakash Chopra
In six innings of the IPL 2024, Bairstow has scored 96 runs at a pathetic 16.00 average. PBKS purchased Rossouw in the auction for ₹8 crore, potentially replacing England’s opener.
“Get him to bat slightly up the order and I want him to score runs as well” – Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings’ Liam Livingstone
Aakash Chopra selected Liam Livingstone as the next Punjab Kings cricketer to keep an eye on for the Mumbai Indians match. The former opener emphasized the hard-hitting batsman’s immense power
“My second player is Liam Livingstone. If I remember correctly, they sent him to bat at No. 7 in the last match. I don’t know what was the logic behind that. So get him to bat slightly up the order and I want him to score runs as well. The opposing attack is not that good, so you will look towards Liam Livingstone to score runs.”
Aakash Chopra
The reputable expert has selected Shashank Singh as the third Punjab Kings player he is looking forward to watching.
“Since this team will have to bat well, the third player I am choosing is Shashank Singh. Play him also slightly up the order – give him a chance and see what happens. Make your batting slightly stronger towards the top. Shashank has the power and form, and he can take on the opposition.”
Aakash Chopra
Shashank is PBKS’ second-leading run scorer in IPL 2024. In six innings, the middle-order batsman has scored 146 runs, only six fewer than Shikhar Dhawan, at an impressive strike rate of 184.81.