"How can I not choose Shashank Singh now?" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings players in focus in IPL 2024 clash vs SunRisers Hyderabad
Aakash Chopra has chosen Shashank Singh as one of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) players in focus in their IPL 2024 clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The two sides will square off in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 9. PBKS are placed sixth in the points table, a rung below SRH on net run rate, and a win against the visitors will help them join three other teams on six points.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that Shashank will want to show his worth to his former franchise.
"How can I not choose Shashank Singh now? Shashank has a score to settle as well. He used to be a part of Hyderabad earlier. If I remember, he hit big shots against Lockie Ferguson at the Wankhede Stadium and then he was let go. Then no one wanted him," he explained (3:25).
"Then Shashank said - 'Wait', and made a mark for the Punjab franchise. The way he batted in the last match, the good thing was that he was playing spin very well, reading the ball from the hand, and we saw the cricketing smarts in him against fast bowling. He was hitting the ball into gaps and has got the power," the former India opener added.
Shashank smashed an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls as the Punjab Kings successfully chased a 200-run target in their last game against the Gujarat Titans (GT). The middle-order batter has amassed 91 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 202.22 in four innings and has been dismissed only once in IPL 2024.
"I will go with Shikhar Dhawan one more time" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings skipper
![Shikhar Dhawan is the Punjab Kings' highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/00d72-17126401924906-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra named Shikhar Dhawan as another Punjab Kings player to watch out for.
"I think I will go with Shikhar Dhawan one more time. I will go with Shikhi boy because, although he got an inside edge and got out in the last match against Umesh Yadav, he scored runs in the match before that against Lucknow," he reasoned (2:25).
"You expect runs from him against the kind of new-ball threat here. The last time he played against Hyderabad in Hyderabad, he was stranded in the 90s at one end. So the expectation will be that someone will support him and understand his emotions, and he will play well," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Chopra picked Arshdeep Singh as the Punjab Kings bowler in focus in Tuesday's game.
"I am thinking who can stop the batting juggernaut in the opposition. Let's go with Arshdeep Singh one more time because who will pick up wickets with the new ball. You have to stop Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma is in red-hot form, and the pressure will be on Arshdeep for that," he explained (4:10).
Arshdeep has picked up four wickets in as many games at an economy rate of 9.13 in IPL 2024 thus far. The left-arm seamer will want to give a better account of himself to seal his place in India's squad for the T20 World Cup starting in June.