“If Sourav Ganguly couldn’t read this pitch, who could have?” – Aakash Chopra questions Rishabh Pant’s decision to bat first in DC’s IPL loss to KKR
In a recent IPL 2024 match, cricket commentator Aakash Chopra expressed his surprise and criticism regarding Delhi Capitals’ captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders. The game, which took place in Kolkata on April 29, saw the Delhi Capitals posting a score of only 153/9. The Kolkata Knight Riders easily chased down this target with 21 balls left and won by seven wickets, moving up to second in the points table.
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In a video review on his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned Pant’s strategy, especially given the track record of teams batting first at the Eden Gardens stadium. “Who bats first after winning the toss? I am not being too critical but I have to talk about it if it’s the truth.
The team winning the toss has batted first only two times in the last 30 matches here, and whoever did that lost. It’s not that you always win while chasing but no one bats first in Kolkata,” Chopra remarked.
He was also puzzled by the involvement of Sourav Ganguly, a former cricket star well acquainted with the Eden Gardens pitch, in the Delhi Capitals camp, yet the team still chose to bat first.
“Whatever happens, the batting becomes slightly easier later but Delhi said they would bat first. I was surprised. If Sourav Ganguly couldn’t read this pitch, who could have? This pitch is like the back of his palm.”
Chopra also critiqued Pant’s performance and approach during the match. Despite scoring 27 runs off 20 balls, Pant’s efforts were not sufficient to secure a win. “Four wickets fell quickly and then you hoped captain Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel would take their team out of troubled waters. However, I was very surprised. Rishabh – you cannot bat like that. It seemed like he was trying to do something different off every ball,” said Chopra.
The game highlighted some critical decisions and moments, including Pant being dropped once and later caught after repeating a risky shot. Chopra expressed disappointment over Pant’s tactics and outcome, emphasizing that
“We have seen Pant playing much better than that.”
This loss for the Delhi Capitals has stirred conversations about the tactical decisions made on the field, particularly the choice of batting first in conditions favoring the chasing team.
