"He never looked in great control" - Aakash Chopra on Ruturaj Gaikwad's knock in 1st Ind vs SA T20I

Ruturaj Gaikwad played some ungainly shots during his innings [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Ruturaj Gaikwad did not look too comfortable in the middle during Team India's batting effort in the first T20I against South Africa.

Gaikwad scored 23 runs off 15 balls and strung together a 57-run partnership for the opening wicket with Ishan Kishan. The CSK opener did hit three sixes but none of them seemed convincing.

Chopra reflected on India's innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel. While lauding Kishan's knock, he said the following about Gaikwad's effort with the bat:

"Ruturaj Gaikwad looked very fidgety. It seemed he wanted a hit a four or six off every ball. He hit three sixes, but one was off a top-edge and another a 57-meter six. He never looked in great control."

The former Indian opener highlighted how Shreyas Iyer made South Africa pay for not bombarding him with short-pitched deliveries. Chopra explained:

"Shreyas Iyer came to bat and a lot of spin was bowled to him and he destroys the spinners. If you don't give him fast bowling and the fast bowlers don't bowl the bouncers, he knows this ground very well, he was the Delhi Capitals' captain for a long time and he hits sixes straight down the ground."

Chopra added that Iyer was dismissed just when it was required to force the pace. He elaborated:

"There was a time when two good overs were bowled, firstly one by Rabada and then one by Nortje, that was right after Ishan's dismissal and there it seemed Shreyas Iyer will have to press the pedal a little bit and Shreyas Iyer got out there."

Kishan was dismissed off the last ball of the 13th over, with Team India comfortably placed at a score of 137/2. But the next three overs yielded just 19 runs before Iyer was castled off the first ball of the 17th over.

"You are an absolute asset" - Aakash Chopra lauds Hardik Pandya's knock

Hardik Pandya took the South African bowlers to the cleaners [P/C: BCCI]

While praising Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya for stitching together a much-needed partnership, Chopra was particularly appreciative of the all-rounder for playing a blazing knock. He observed:

"Then there was a partnership between Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. I will once again say - Welcome back Hardik Pandya, you are an absolute asset. Rishabh Pant also gave him good support. I think 211 was a phenomenal total."

The Hardik Pandya we all know. The Hardik Pandya we all love! ❣️🫶

#INDvSA #SaddaPunjab

Pandya smoked an unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls, a knock laced with two fours and three sixes. His 46-run partnership with Pant helped Team India set a 212-run target for the visitors but it did not prove to be enough in the end.

Also Read: "Not one ball was hitting the middle of the bat" - Aakash Chopra on the start of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad's partnership in 1st Ind vs SA T20I