"The RCB guys were also feeling happy" - Aakash Chopra on batter finally scoring a few runs in IND vs ENG 2025 4th T20I
Former India player Aakash Chopra has reckoned that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) might be feeling happy about Phil Salt scoring a few runs in the fourth T20I between India and England in Pune on Friday, January 31. He noted that the England opener had never reached double digits against the Men in Blue in T20Is previously.
India set England an 182-run target after being asked to bat first. Although Salt gave the visitors a good start in the chase with a 21-ball 23, Jos Buttler and company eventually lost the game by 15 runs to go 1-3 down in the five-match series.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reflected on England's chase. While observing that Salt being among the runs in his 62-run opening-wicket partnership with Ben Duckett (39 off 19) would have delighted RCB, Chopra added that the visitors lost a flurry of wickets after the pair was separated.
"England have never chased a 180-plus total against India, and that is where they faltered one more time. You came to understand that winning the powerplay is not equal to winning the game. Both the bowling and batting powerplay were theirs. They scored more than 60 runs and were hitting from both ends, Duckett and Salt," he said (11:15).
"Finally, Salt was scoring runs. So the RCB guys were also feeling happy that at least one of their players was scoring runs. This was his first double-digit score against India in T20Is. He had not scored runs against India to date. However, then the sequence of getting out started," Chopra added.
RCB acquired Salt for ₹11.50 crore at the IPL 2025 auction last year. Apart from the two openers, Harry Brook (51 off 26) was the only England player to score more than 20 runs in Friday's game.
"He changed the match" - Aakash Chopra lauds Harshit Rana's spell
![Harshit Rana registered figures of 3/33 in four overs in the fourth T20I against England. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/d3e06-17383934747377-1920.jpg?w=500)
Reflecting on India's bowling, Aakash Chopra praised Harshit Rana for delivering a game-changing spell.
"When Jos (Buttler) gets out, the team falls behind in any case, and then, of course, the Harshit Rana spell. He changed the match. There is no doubt that the guy has pace. I feel he is slightly unfairly criticized. He is someone who will always be in your face. He is a competitor," he said (12:00) in the same video.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seamer can't be blamed for being a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube.
"Personally, I like Harshit Rana. Of course, he got his debut in strange circumstances, but it's not his mistake. He picked up three wickets, which includes Liam Livingstone's wicket. He later took Jamie Overton's wicket. He was very, very, very good," Chopra observed.
Chopra also appreciated Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakaravarthy for striking a few crucial blows with the ball.
"Ravi Bishnoi picked up three wickets this time. He was very, very economical in the entire series but here he picked up three wickets. Varun was going wicketless but they (England) said that can't happen. They lost two wickets in an over," he elaborated.
Bishnoi registered figures of 3/28 in four overs. Chakaravarthy bowled a spell of 2/28 in four overs, with his wickets, Harry Brook and Brydon Carse, coming in his final over.