"When he was not bowling that well, he was getting more money" - Aakash Chopra on Lucknow Super Giants' bowling heading into IPL 2023
Aakash Chopra believes Jaydev Unadkat's acquisition will bolster the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowling in IPL 2023.
Unadkat was released by the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2023 auction. LSG bought the Saurashtra bowler for just ₹50 lakh at the auction and will hope that the left-arm seamer is at his best this season.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on the Lucknow Super Giants bowling heading into IPL 2023. He termed Unadkat a good acquisition, reasoning:
"They have Jaydev Unadkat. He used to be with Mumbai and is now part of this team. I think it's a good acquisition. The Ekana ground is big and Jaydev Unadkat is growing as a bowler. When he was not bowling that well, he was getting more money. He is getting less money when he is bowling better."
The former Indian opener was skeptical about Mark Wood's availability for the entirety of IPL 2023, explaining:
"It's always a question mark whether Mark Wood will be available for the entire season because the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) might want their players back towards the latter half. There is a possibility, so that will have to be paid attention to."
However, Chopra feels Wood will be the franchise's highest wicket-taker by a long distance if he plays the entire season. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player wants the Lucknow Super Giants to use the England speedster in the middle overs and at the death, and not with the new ball.
"There might be some potential concerns in bowling" - Aakash Chopra says Lucknow Super Giants will feel Mohsin Khan's absence
While pointing out that Mohsin Khan's potential absence will be a huge blow for the Lucknow Super Giants, Aakash Chopra wants Avesh Khan to give a better account of himself in IPL 2023, stating:
"They have Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan - it is going fifty-fifty for him because of injury. I am hearing good things about Mayank Yadav. Mohsin Khan's absence will be felt because he did extremely well last year. Avesh Khan went down, you want him to follow an upward trajectory. There might be some potential concerns in bowling."
The cricketer-turned-commentator picked Ravi Bishnoi as a crucial cog in the Lucknow Super Giants bowling lineup. He reckons Amit Mishra might be the franchise's Impact Player in the bowling department, saying:
"Ravi Bishnoi has to have a good season. Last year he was blowing hot, blowing cold, but despite that, the team did well. I feel Amit Mishra is their Impact Player in bowling and he will be a part of the XI if they bowl first."
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Chopra pointed out that Krishnappa Gowtham hasn't set the stage on fire with his performances. He concluded by opining that Romario Shepherd and Daniel Sams are unlikely to be a part of the playing XI unless the pitch has a lot to offer for the seamers or if Wood is unavailable.