IPL 2020: 'There is a problem with Prithvi Shaw that he is not changing his style of play' - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals' loss to KXIP
Former Indian opening batsman Aakash Chopra has criticised Delhi Capitals (DC) opener Prithvi Shaw for not displaying any circumspection despite his poor run of scores in his last few innings.
He made this point while reviewing the Shreyas Iyer-led side's IPL 2020 loss to the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
While lauding Shikhar Dhawan for his excellent knock, Aakash Chopra raised concerns about Prithvi Shaw continuing with his attacking style of play despite not being amongst the runs.
"Shikhar Dhawan played very well. There is a problem with Prithvi Shaw that he is not changing his style of play even after having not scored runs."
The reputed commentator added that Sunil Gavaskar, who was commentating with him at the time, was also angry at the Delhi Capitals opener's inability to adjust his game according to the demands of the situation.
"Sunil Gavaskar was angry during commentary and I was also a little upset, that if you not scored runs in the previous matches, then play a little bit along the ground as your partner was anyway hitting."
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Shaw could have taken his time as Shikhar Dhawan, who was the other Delhi Capitals opener, gave the team a blazing start.
"Because he is not batting slowly, he is going at a super-fast speed. He has struck two consecutive tons, which no other player has done to date in the IPL."
The former KKR player praised Dhawan for the consistency he showed by hitting back-to-back unbeaten centuries.
"He has been absolutely outstanding, 207 not out and counting. Because a century in the last match and a century in this match, unbeaten in the last match and unbeaten here as well."
Aakash Chopra on the lack of runs from the other Delhi Capitals batsmen
Aakash Chopra questioned the contribution from the rest of the Delhi Capitals batsmen in yesterday's encounter, with Shikhar Dhawan having scored almost two-thirds of the runs scored by the team.
"But if a team scores a total of 165 runs and you have made 106 out of that, then what were the rest of them doing? The others didn't contribute and it is not that you have played 75 balls."
The 43-year-old observed that it was not a case of the Delhi Capitals opener having hogged the strike, since the other batsmen faced almost the same number of deliveries.
"You only played a total of 61 deliveries, so it was almost 10 overs for you and the rest of the team. So you made 106 runs in 10 overs, so why were only 60 runs scored in the other 10 overs."
He added that if the rest of the Delhi Capitals batsmen had contributed 20 runs more, the result of the match could have been different.
"They should have scored at least 80 runs in that, those many were also not scored and that has been the problem. Prithvi Shaw, the runs didn't come off Shreyas Iyer's bat as well."
Aakash Chopra pointed out that while Rishabh Pant was trying to regain his form, Shimron Hetmyer did not get much time in the middle and Marcus Stoinis could not reproduce the magic from the Delhi Capitals' previous encounter against the Kings XI Punjab.
"Pant was struggling a little in the middle. He was trying to find form. Shimron Hetmyer got his turn very late and Stoinis was dismissed in the middle and that is where KXIP won the game."
Aakash Chopra signed off by showering praise on Mohammed Shami, who played a huge part in restricting the Delhi Capitals batsmen in the last few overs.
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"Mohammed Shami has been outstanding, the 18th and 20th over. He started from where he left in that Super Over. So that is where KXIP stopped the Delhi Capitals."
The Delhi Capitals could manage only 164 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, despite Shikhar Dhawan's enterprising century. The Kings XI Punjab managed to overhaul the target with 5 wickets in hand and an over to spare, but not without a few stutters along the way.