"You cannot say the vintage Rishabh Pant is back" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals skipper heading into IPL 2024 clash vs Gujarat Titans
Ahead of the Delhi Capitals' (DC) IPL 2024 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT), Aakash Chopra has noted that Rishabh Pant isn't yet back to his former best.
The two sides will square off at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday, April 24. The Capitals, who registered an emphatic six-wicket win in the reverse fixture, would want to do an encore at their home ground.
Previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra chose skipper Pant as one of the Delhi Capitals players in focus.
"I am thinking about Rishabh Pant once again. It's like a broken record. You can bat slightly up the order because these battles need to be won from the front. You are batting well. You cannot say the vintage Rishabh Pant is back. It takes time. At times you feel that he is back and then you feel it will take a little time," he reasoned (11:00).
"A little game of hide and seek is going on. However, Rishabh Pant the captain and Rishabh Pant the batter, there is no doubt that he is keeping well, will be important in this match. He should make the right decisions, come at the right number, and then bat well," the former India opener added.
Pant has amassed 254 runs at an excellent strike rate of 150.29 in eight innings in IPL 2024. However, he seemed to be struggling slightly while trying to play the big shots during his 35-ball 44 during the Delhi Capitals' last game against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
"If this team has to do well, David Warner needs to fire" - Aakash Chopra on the Delhi Capitals opener
![David Warner has aggregated 167 runs in seven innings in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/81ed0-17139358880709-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra picked David Warner as another Delhi Capitals player to watch out for in Wednesday's game.
"I am thinking that if this team has to do well, David Warner needs to fire. He missed a match due to injury, he was seen batting well in one or two matches before that, but couldn't do that in the last match," he said (10:00).
"Delhi need runs from David Warner's bat. David Warner also needs runs because he is an IPL GOAT. He is brilliant, he is outstanding but in cricket, like in movies, you are only as good as your last innings. I am hoping for Delhi's sake that he does well," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Chopra reckons Kuldeep Yadav will be crucial for the Delhi Capitals against the Gujarat Titans.
"The third player I am picking is Kuldeep Yadav. He picked up four wickets in the last match. He conceded 55 runs in four overs but everyone got hit. I am thinking about Kuldeep Yadav because he can trap the opposition batters. The opposition's batting does not have that much depth," he explained (11:45).
With 10 scalps at an economy rate of 7.70 in five games, Kuldeep is the Capitals' joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024. Khaleel Ahmed has also picked up 10 wickets but has conceded an average of 9.03 runs per over in his eight outings.