"How did that mistake happen?" - Aakash Chopra on Gujarat Titans' tactical error in IPL 2024 loss to Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has questioned the Gujarat Titans' (GT) tactics in their IPL 2024 loss to the Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Capitals set the Titans a 225-run target after being asked to bat first in Delhi on Wednesday, April 24. The hosts then restricted Shubman Gill and company to 220/8 to register a four-run win and climb above them into sixth position on the points table.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra claimed that the Gujarat Titans' decision to give the penultimate over to Sai Kishore was a tactical blunder.

"There was a tactical blooper. It was a faux pas. It wasn't understandable how you could do that. You brought Sai Kishore in the 19th over. The first over by a left-arm spinner was the 19th over of the innings. Tristan Stubbs and Rishabh Pant were in front of him. We thought Rishabh would hit but Tristan destroyed and went," he said (3:05).

"It was a very expensive over and you were thinking how it happened. Sandeep Warrier had picked up three wickets and his fourth over was left. The calculation could have been better. Ashish Nehra doesn't miss a beat. He understands the game very well. How did that mistake happen?" the former India opener added.

Chopra pointed out that the Gujarat Titans could have introduced Sai Kishore into the attack earlier. He added that such small decisions become the differentiators between a win and a loss in such close games.

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"I won't blame Shubman Gill at all" - Aakash Chopra on the Gujarat Titans' strategic mistake

Shubman Gill (right) is in his maiden season as an IPL skipper. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra noted that he won't blame Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill for the tactical mistake.

"I won't blame Shubman Gill at all because it might not be his decision. It might be a collective decision by the team. So I won't be too harsh on Shubman. However, Ashish Nehra making such a mistake - not fair, it didn't work out," he reasoned (5:45).

The cricketer-turned-commentator also questioned the Titans for bowling out Azmatullah Omarzai at the start of the Delhi Capitals innings.

"They bowled Azmatullah Omarzai four consecutive overs at the start. What was happening? It wasn't understandable because the more pace you bowl to Jake Fraser-McGurk, the faster he sends them far. He got out to the first slower one from Sandeep Warrier but no one was bowling slower ones," Chopra explained.

On the flip side, Chopra praised Axar Patel (66 off 43) and Rishabh Pant (88* off 43) for bailing the Capitals out of trouble. The duo added 113 runs for the fourth wicket after the hosts were reduced to 44/3 in 5.4 overs.