IPL 2021: "The cream is at the top on both sides" - Aakash Chopra on the CSK and KKR batting being evenly matched

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis have been prolific at the top of the order for CSK [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra believes the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are almost evenly matched in the batting department, with their openers being their standout players.

CSK and KKR face each other in Friday's IPL 2021 final in Dubai. Both sides have been overly dependent on their top-order batsmen in the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League. So they will hope that their middle order rises to the occasion.

While analysing CSK and KKR's batting might, in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted that the openers have been instrumental in the two sides' revival. He explained:

"It is very interesting if we do a man-to-man marking because the cream is at the top on both sides. If we talk about CSK's resurgence, Ruturaj and Faf du Plessis' opening partnership has changed between 2020 and 2021. The same can be said about Shubman and Venkatesh because the resurgence that has happened in the second half, it's down to their openers."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Rahul Tripathi from KKR and Robin Uthappa from CSK in the last match are the only other batters to have held their own for their respective sides. Chopra observed:

"After that, the problems start; if we see towards Kolkata - Rahul Tripathi is brilliant; I think that is where they are scoring although Robin Uthappa has eventually made runs. The middle muddle that was there in Chennai, that is there on the other side as well."

Our Knight brandishing his sword that did the magic 🗡

@tripathirahul52 #KKR #KKRvDC #AmiKKR #KorboLorboJeetbo #আমিKKR #IPL2021 https://t.co/tdtwUQq9ko

While Tripathi's penultimate-ball six helped KKR put it across the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Qualifier 2, Uthappa played an enterprising 63-run knock in CSK's win against the Rishabh Pant-led side in the first qualifier.

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Aakash Chopra on CSK and KKR's middle-order woes

Moeen Ali has struggled with the bat for CSK in the UAE. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra added that KKR's Nitish Rana and CSK's Ambati Rayudu are the other middle-order batters amongst the runs. He elaborated in this regard:

"Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, captain Morgan and Dinesh Karthik - not a lot of form there. Rahul Tripathi is brilliant; Nitish has played few knocks but not big ones. Moeen Ali played well in the first half, but has not played well in the second half. Ambati Rayudu is their only shining grace."

First time in IPL history four consecutive batting position out for duck
5 Dinesh Karthik
6 Eoin Morgan
7 Shakib Al Hasan
8 Sunil Narine
#KKRvDC #Qualifier2 #DCvKKR https://t.co/n1LjSdZFMa

The 44-year-old highlighted that both sides are almost at par in the batting department. Chopra said:

"Actually, they cancel each other out. You can cancel out Ambati Rayudu with Rahul Tripathi, Moeen Ali with Nitish Rana. When you go further down, you are stuck. When Raina was playing, he was not scoring runs. So you can keep Raina and Morgan at par, although even in that Raina might have scored more. Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik - almost identical."

However, Chopra concluded by saying that the presence of Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and Shardul Thakur tilts the scale slightly towards CSK. He reckons Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine might not be too useful with the bat down the order.