"How, why - don't know" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings dropping Harpreet Brar and Kagiso Rabada from their playing XI in IPL 2024 loss to RCB

Aakash Chopra has questioned the Punjab Kings' (PBKS) decision to drop Harpreet Brar and Kagiso Rabada from their playing XI for their IPL 2024 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Dharamsala on Thursday, May 9. The duo together picked up four wickets and conceded only 36 runs in their combined eight overs in the reverse fixture.

RCB made the most of the absence of the two PBKS bowlers and posted a mammoth 241/7 after being asked to bat first. The visitors then bundled Sam Curran and company out for 181 to register a 60-run win and knock them out of the playoff race.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed surprise about the Punjab Kings' decision not to play Brar and Rabada.

"Punjab won the toss and decided to bowl. They neither played Harpreet Brar nor Kagiso Rabada. It wasn't understandable. They thought they wouldn't be able to do anything, that they are very weak bowlers. How, why - don't know," he said (1:25).

Reflecting on Punjab Kings' bowling, the former India opener praised Harshal Patel and Vidwath Kaverappa for delivering impressive spells. On the flip side, he noted that Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran were taken to the cleaners.

"Harshal Patel took three wickets. He does the job somehow. His season was slightly cold at the start but it's warmed up now. He has the Purple Cap on his head. Kaverappa got two wickets. He would have dismissed three or four batters if they had held their catches. He was very, very good," Chopra observed (3:10).

"However, Arshdeep Singh - 41 runs in three overs, expensive once again. Sam Curran - 50 runs in three overs, extremely expensive. If a lot of money has been spent on you, it will be discussed, so Sam Curran has the same story," the former KKR player added.

While Harshal registered figures of 3/38 in four overs, Kaverappa picked up two wickets and conceded 36 runs in the four overs he bowled with the new ball. Apart from proving expensive, Curran's decision to give the penultimate over to Rahul Chahar backfired, with the leg-spinner conceding 21 runs.

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"The start wasn't good" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' chase

Swapnil Singh dismissed Prabhsimran Singh in the first over of PBKS' chase. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on the Punjab Kings' chase, Aakash Chopra noted that they got off to a disastrous start before Rilee Rossouw and Jonny Bairstow stitched together a quickfire 65-run second-wicket partnership.

"When they came to bat, the start wasn't good. Swapnil Singh dismissed Prabhsimran Singh quickly. Jonny Bairstow played well for some time and Faf du Plessis took a very good catch running backwards. Rilee Rossouw was batting really well. He scored 61 runs off 27 balls. That investment paid off. He is an eight-crore player," he said (3:40).

While observing that Rossouw's dismissal made the task extremely difficult for PBKS, the reputed commentator noted that Virat Kohli's brilliant run-out of Shashank Singh virtually sealed the contest.

"However, when he got out to Karn Sharma's ball, it seemed the match was gone because Jitesh Sharma got out as soon as he came. Liam Livingstone - he is doing different things. He scored zero. Then Shashank Singh's run-out was in itself the play of the game. It was a gone case after that," Chopra stated.

Rossouw's dismissal reduced the Punjab Kings to 107/3 after nine overs. Although Shashank smashed a 19-ball 37, his run-out left the hosts in a precarious situation at 151/6, and they were bowled out after adding another 30 runs.