"We have made a hard-hitter less effective" - Aakash Chopra explains reason for Hardik Pandya's low strike rate in IPL 2022
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya is in a rich vein of form with the bat. However, his strike rate has been an issue this season. The 28-year-old has taken up the responsibility of batting at No.4 for his IPL team and leading from the front.
He also averages 47 so far in the tournament, scoring 141 runs from four games. However, his strike rate of 122.61 is a problem, according to Aakash Chopra. The 44-year-old reckons that the responsibility of the captaincy, coupled with a relatively weak batting line-up, is what is stopping the GT skipper from playing his natural game.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, here's what Aakash Chopra had to say about the drop-off in Pandya's strike rate this season:
"Hardik Pandya is looking in good form, the ball is hitting the middle of the bat, but his strike rate is a problem. He has not played with such a low strike rate. This becomes a problem when there is not much batting around you so you think that you need to play carefully. We have made a hard-hitter less effective. He is scoring runs, not at a strike rate of 170, but at a strike rate of 120."
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GT will need to change their keeper: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra reckons that in order to strengthen their batting, GT will need to look beyond the out-of-form Matthew Wade. The Australian keeper has scored just 56 runs in four games at a poor strike rate of 98.25.
Matthew Wade's 3 Sixes to Shaheen Afridi still costing Gujrat Titans https://t.co/ZqZILJr9OF
GT have other options on the bench like the explosive Rahmanullah Gurbaz and the experienced Wriddhiman Saha. On this, Chopra stated:
"The biggest change is that they need to change their keeper. Wade has done nothing in the tournament so far. You played him in four consecutive games, he got a few starts, but he hasn't be able to convert them into big scores. Especially in this match, I don't think he will be able to score runs against this quality bowling attack. Ashwin might also come with the new ball against Wade."
Against a quality bowling attack from the Rajasthan Royals (RR), GT batters will have their work cut out.