"It seemed like it wasn't his decision" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant's batting position ahead of Delhi Capitals' IPL 2024 clash vs LSG
Aakash Chopra expects Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant to bat up the order in their IPL 2024 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on Friday, April 12. He opined that the wicketkeeper-batter didn't seem too happy with his batting position in the franchise's previous game.
Pant batted at No. 5 and managed only one run in the Capitals' 29-run defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 7. He will hope to give a better account of himself against LSG, especially considering that the visitors are last in the points table.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra chose Pant as one of the Delhi Capitals players in focus in Friday's game.
"I am slightly split between Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs. Tristan has played two successive good knocks. I felt Rishabh Pant wasn't happy last time. He is the captain but when he came lower in the batting order and was speaking in the post-match presentation, it seemed like it wasn't his decision," he reasoned (9:05).
"I don't know, no one has told me anything about it. I am assuming that he was not too happy with that. So I feel he will come to bat slightly up the order and give himself the entire time. If he gives himself time, the opposition team is capable of defending and it's a big ground, you will have to go with Rishabh Pant," the former India opener added.
Pant has smashed 153 runs at an excellent strike rate of 154.54 in five innings in IPL 2024. Tristan Stubbs (174) and David Warner (158) are the only Delhi Capitals players who have scored more runs than him.
"Delhi should play Jake Fraser-McGurk" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals missing Mitchell Marsh
Aakash Chopra has urged the Delhi Capitals to include Jake Fraser-McGurk in their playing XI and picked him as one of their players to watch out for.
"Delhi should play Jake Fraser-McGurk because Mitchell Marsh is unavailable. You can make him bat at No. 3 - David Warner and Prithvi Shaw at the top and Jake Fraser-McGurk at No. 3 and he is my player to watch out for. Firstly, I am assuming that they will play him, and if they do that, this player has a lot of power, he hits a lot of sixes," he said (8:25).
While naming Khaleel Ahmed as the Delhi Capitals seamer in focus, the renowned commentator opined that Anrich Nortje and Jhye Richardson might be dropped.
"My third player is Khaleel Ahmed. He is a top-gun player. He is bowling extremely well. You might see the scope for changes there because Anrich Nortje and Jhye Richardson, Lizaad Williams might be played for one of them and the other might be dropped as they are getting hit a lot," he observed (9:35).
With seven scalps in five games, Khaleel is the Capitals' highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024. While Nortje has conceded an average of 13.43 runs per over in four games, Richardson went wicketless and conceded 40 runs in his four overs in the only match he has played.