"It will be worth seeing how many chances this team keeps giving to Bairstow" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' IPL 2024 loss to SunRisers Hyderabad
Aakash Chopra is keen to see whether the Punjab Kings (PBKS) continue persisting with Jonny Bairstow despite his repeated failures in IPL 2024.
The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) set PBKS a 183-run target in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 9. Bairstow was dismissed for a three-ball duck as the home team were restricted to 180/6 to suffer a harrowing two-run defeat.
Reflecting on the Punjab Kings' chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed surprise about Shikhar Dhawan's mode of dismissal and noted that Bairstow let his team down once again.
"I didn't understand Shikhar Dhawan's dismissal. The keeper had come up. He was first dropped. It is slightly baffling that he stepped out after the keeper had come up. You generally don't see such mistakes from Shikhar," he said (3:45).
"You might see it from others but not from Shikhar. However, he committed that mistake. It will be worth seeing how many chances this team keeps giving to Bairstow because you are giving him a lot of chances but the results are not coming," the former India opener added.
Bairstow has aggregated 81 runs at a dismal average of 16.20 in five innings in IPL 2024. PBKS might consider dropping the England opener and making Prabhsimran Singh partner Dhawan at the top of the order once Liam Livingstone is fit and available.
"It still seemed like they were far behind and that it's not going to happen" - Aakash Chopra lauds Punjab Kings' Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma
![Shashank Singh (right) and Ashutosh Sharma almost took PBKS to an unlikely win. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/73158-17127233977063-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra noted that the match was virtually beyond the Punjab Kings' reach once Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza and Jitesh Sharma were dismissed.
"Prabhsimran Singh also got out. Sam Curran played decently for quite a while but when he got out, it seemed like it was done and dusted. Sikandar Raza and Jitesh Sharma played short knocks. However, it still seemed like they were far behind and that it's not going to happen," he observed (4:05).
The reputed commentator praised Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma for almost snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
"I am surprised that they reached so close because it didn't seem like the match could reach till there. Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma batted incredibly well once again and both impressed a lot. Ashutosh Sharma's power is of a different level. It seemed like Shashank Singh played one or two balls less as he hit a six off the last ball as well," Chopra elaborated.
Ashutosh (33* off 15) joined Shashank (46* off 25) in the middle when the Punjab Kings were in dire straits at 114/6 after 15.3 overs. The duo smoked 66 runs off the last 4.3 overs, including 26 off the final over, but couldn't take their team over the line.