IPL 2020: Prithvi Shaw Must Change His Batting Style – Aakash Chopra
Oct 21, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Aakash Chopra pointed out that the table-toppers Delhi Capitals’ opener Prithvi Shaw needs to take his time as he has not been amongst the runs. He has notched up 209 runs only averaging 20.9 in 10 matches with two half-centuries. He also observed that the Delhi Capitals batsmen apart from Shikhar Dhawan who scored amassed 465 runs averaging 66.42 in 10 matches has let the team down.
Former Indian opening batsman Aakash Chopra has criticized Delhi Capitals (DC) opener, Prithvi Shaw, for not displaying any caution despite his poor run of scores in his last few innings scoring single digits in the last four games.
Shikhar Dhawan Played Very Well But Prithvi Shaw Should Be Cautious And Change His Style Of Batting: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra made this point while reviewing the Shreyas Iyer-led side’s IPL 2020 loss to the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
Aakash Chopra raised concerns about Prithvi Shaw continuing with his attacking style of play despite not being amongst the runs.
” There is a problem with Prithvi Shaw that he is not changing his style of play even after having not scored runs.”
The reputed commentator added that Sunil Gavaskar was also angry at Prithvi Shaw’s inability to adjust his game according to the situation.
“Sunil Gavaskar was angry during commentary and I was also a little upset, that if you not scored runs in the previous matches, then play a little bit along the ground as your partner was anyway hitting.”
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Prithvi Shaw who scored only seven off 11 balls could have taken his time to settle down as Shikhar Dhawan, who was the other Delhi Capitals opener, gave the team a blazing start.
Aakash Chopra Praises Shikhar Dhawan For Two Consecutive Tons Which None Has Achieved Earlier
Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Marcus Stoinis played more deliveries than scoring runs. Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Shimron Hetmyer scored more than run a ball, but Delhi could only manage 164/5 despite Shikhar Dhawan’s consecutive 100.
“Because he is not batting slowly, he is going at a super-fast speed. He has struck two consecutive tons, which no other player has done to date in the IPL.”
The former KKR player praised Shikhar Dhawan for the consistency he showed by hitting back-to-back unbeaten centuries. He scored 106 against KXIP and unbeaten 101 against CSK.
“He has been absolutely outstanding, 207 not out and counting.”
Aakash Chopra questioned the contribution from the rest of the Delhi Capitals batsmen with Shikhar Dhawan having scored almost two-thirds of the runs scored by the team.
“But if a team scores a total of 165 runs and you have made 106 out of that, then what were the rest of them doing? The others didn’t contribute and it is not that you have played 75 balls.”
The 43-year-old commentator observed that it was not a case of the Delhi Capitals opener having faced the strike alone playing maximum balls since the other batsmen faced almost the same number of deliveries.
“You only played a total of 61 deliveries, so it was almost 10 overs for you and the rest of the team. So you made 106 runs in 10 overs, so why were only 60 runs scored in the other 10 overs.”
He added that if the rest of the Delhi Capitals batsmen had contributed 20 runs more, the result of the match could have been changed as none of them apart from Shikhar Dhawan contributed more than 14.
“They should have scored at least 80 runs in that, those many were also not scored and that has been the problem. Prithvi Shaw, the runs didn’t come off Shreyas Iyer’s bat as well.”
Aakash Chopra mentioned that while Rishabh Pant was trying to regain his form after missing some matches due to injury, Shimron Hetmyer did not get much time and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis failed to carry forward his performance that he showed against KXIP in the previous encounter.
“Pant was struggling a little in the middle. He was trying to find form. Shimron Hetmyer got his turn very late and Stoinis was dismissed in the middle and that is where KXIP won the game.”
Aakash Chopra signed off by showering praise on Mohammed Shami, who played a huge part in restricting the Delhi Capitals batsmen in the 18th and 20th over.
“Mohammed Shami has been outstanding, the 18th and 20th over. So that is where KXIP stopped the Delhi Capitals,” he added.
Kings XI Punjab managed to overhaul the target with five wickets in hand and an over to spare with Nicholas Pooran scoring 53 off 28 balls.