"You were not batting with Mustafizur" - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni refusing a single during CSK's batting in IPL 2024 loss to PBKS

Aakash Chopra has questioned former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni's decision to refuse a single in the final over in his side's IPL 2024 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Dhoni scored 14 runs off 11 balls as CSK posted 162/7 after being asked to bat first in Chennai on Wednesday, May 1. Sam Curran and company chased the target down with seven wickets and 13 deliveries to spare to register their fourth win of the season.

Reflecting on CSK's batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed surprise about Daryl Mitchell's batting position and Dhoni's refusal to give him the strike in the final over.

"Daryl Mitchell wasn't sent. It was totally beyond my understanding what Chennai were trying to do. They called Sameer Rizvi in the form of an impact player but didn't get Daryl Mitchell to bat. He scored a half-century in the last match. They didn't get him to bowl also. Extremely strange," he said (2:15).

"In the end, Dhoni even refused to take a single. It's fine but Daryl Mitchell is Daryl Mitchell. You were not batting with Mustafizur, no disrespect, but he refused. He hit a six but the runs were never going to be enough, and that's exactly how it panned out," the former India opener added.

Mitchell was sent to bat at No. 8 and faced only one delivery. Dhoni, who was on strike, turned down an easy single off the third delivery of the final over and opted to face the last three balls of the innings.

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"They are a locomotive engine that takes time to warm up" - Aakash Chopra on the start of CSK's innings

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane scored only 23 runs in the first four overs. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra noted that CSK got off to a customary pedestrian start.

"You lost the toss here and were invited to bat first. They start slowly. The Chennai Express always starts slowly. They are a locomotive engine that takes time to warm up. They made 50-odd runs in the powerplay. Ajinkya Rahane got out after the powerplay," he said (1:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator praised the Punjab Kings spinners for being both potent and economical.

"Ruturaj scored 60-odd runs but the innings never got going. There was a time when not even a single boundary was hit off 55 balls. Eight overs of spin were bowled - four wickets were lost and they didn't concede even a single four. So much so that Rahul Chahar was given the ball in the 19th over. MS Dhoni had come, so he was called to bowl," Chopra elaborated.

Ruturaj Gaikwad top-scored for CSK with a 48-ball 62. Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar scalped four wickets between them and conceded only 33 runs in their combined eight overs.