"You need an opener like this who doesn't slow down at all" - Aakash Chopra lauds Phil Salt's knock in Delhi Capitals' IPL 2023 win vs RCB
Aakash Chopra has lauded Phil Salt for playing an opener's role to perfection in the Delhi Capitals' (DC) IPL 2023 win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
RCB set a 182-run target for the Capitals after opting to bat first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, May 6. Salt then smoked 87 runs off just 45 balls as the home team chased down the target with seven wickets and 20 deliveries to spare to register their fourth win of the tournament.
While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Salt for playing a destructive knock, elaborating:
"Phil Salt sprinkled salt on the wounds. There was a lot of violence. Delhi Police were informed to go to Ferozshah Kotla because the ball was getting beaten up mercilessly. You need an opener like this who doesn't slow down at all."
The former Indian opener pointed out that the other Delhi Capitals batters also played aggressive knocks, explaining:
"David Warner did get out after a while but his intent was also class. After that came Rilee Rossouw and he was in a different hurry - a plethora of fours and sixes. Phil Salt got out in the end, but by that time RCB were also out because Axar Patel too came and hit a six."
Rilee Rossouw remained unbeaten on a 22-ball 35. David Warner (22 off 14) and Mitchell Marsh (26 off 17) also did not give any breathing space to the RCB bowlers.
"They started like a bullet train once again" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis' partnership for RCB
![Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis added 82 runs in 10.3 overs. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/05/b6e19-16834336641621-1920.jpg?w=500)
Reflecting on the Royal Challengers Bangalore innings, Aakash Chopra praised Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli for giving their team a flying start and the latter for reaching the 7000-run mark in the Indian Premier League, stating:
"Faf and Kohli - they started like a bullet train once again. Both started very well but then Faf got out and Kohli was going at a strike rate of around 120. Kohli has climbed Mount 7000 - well done, it takes a lot of effort to reach there."
While picking Mitchell Marsh's back-to-back dismissals of Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell as a game-changing moment, the reputed commentator lauded Mahipal Lomror for playing a blazing knock, saying:
"Mitchell Marsh picked up two wickets in two balls and that was the difference in the end. Mahipal Lomror was absolutely stellar. The way he batted, he elevated the total and suddenly showed that a lot more runs can be scored here."
Lomror smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 29 balls. Kohli top-scored for RCB with a 46-ball 55 but he couldn't force the pace once Du Plessis and Maxwell were dismissed, which proved decisive in the end.