Aakash Chopra requests Rishabh Pant to bat up the order Aakash Chopra requests Rishabh Pant to bat up the order. Delhi, currently in sixth place on the points table, will face the ninth-place Mumbai Indians (MI) on Saturday afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
As the IPL 2024 season nears its halfway point, the inconsistent Delhi Capitals (DC) must win every game. Delhi, currently in sixth place on the points table, will face the ninth-place Mumbai Indians (MI) on Saturday afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Rishabh Pant, Delhi’s captain and premier batter, must lead from the front if the team is to qualify for the playoffs. The big-hitting wicketkeeper has 342 runs in nine matches this season, including three brilliant fifties. However, his batting position in the lineup has sparked debate.
Former Indian opener and commentator Akash Chopra has urged Pant to take on more responsibility by batting higher in the order against Mumbai. Chopra criticized Delhi’s tactics of holding Pant back during their previous match against MI at Wankhede. “My first player is Rishabh Pant. My heart cried when Rishabh Pant batted very low against this team the last time. I told him he should have batted because he could only have won the game.
“They lost by a very small margin to Mumbai,” Chopra stated on his YouTube channel.]
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I will request Rishabh with folded hands: Aakash Chopra
During the daunting 235-run chase, the Delhi camp fielded uncapped Abhishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs ahead of Pant. By the time Pant arrived at the crease, the asking rate had skyrocketed, leading to DC’s 29-run defeat.
Chopra praised Pant’s recent 88-run knock against the Gujarat Titans, saying it was the type of impactful innings his team needed from its captain on a regular basis.
“So, with folded hands, I’ll request Rishabh to come bat up the order. You scored 88 in your last match, and even if the conditions are slightly slower, no one will be able to outperform you. So please move up the batting order,” the former Indian opener said.
Pant’s 43-ball knock against GT was a demonstration of controlled aggression and incredible stroke-making. Batting at number five, he took on the opposition bowlers, scoring 31 runs off one Mohit Sharma over.
After a shaky start to the season, the Delhi team has put in some strong performances, putting them in contention to make the playoffs. The 2020 finalists will be looking for a win in their upcoming match against five-time champions Mumbai.
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