"How do you do this?" - Aakash Chopra on RR's IPL 2025 loss vs LSG

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the Rajasthan Royals (RR) about how they managed to lose their IPL 2025 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He pointed out that Riyan Parag and company virtually threw away a game they should have won easily.

LSG set RR a 181-run target in Match 36 of IPL 2025 in Jaipur on Saturday, April 19. The home team managed only 178/5 in the chase, losing the game by two runs, their second successive defeat from an advantageous position.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered how the Rajasthan Royals failed to chase down a target they should have achieved with at least an over to spare.

"What are you doing? How do you do this? You reached the exact same place. They were winning the match easily. In fact, they should have won the match in the 19th over. However, why should a job be done if it cannot be done at all? They have reached such a place," he said (1:50).

Chopra noted that the set Yashasvi Jaiswal (74 off 52) and Riyan Parag (39 off 26) virtually gifted their wickets in the 18th over.

"You were batting, and Yashasvi Jaiswal was running away with the game. Then he tried to step away and play a shot, and the ball hit the stumps. Riyan Parag was also set. He tried to play a scoop, and the ball hit his pads. A wicket off the first and a wicket off the last ball (of the 18th over), and, suddenly, where did you reach?" he elaborated.

The cricketer-turned-commentator praised Prince Yadav for bowling an impressive penultimate over and Avesh Khan for sealing LSG's win with a terrific final over.

"Prince Yadav bowled an incredible over. He bowled bouncers and yorkers. Avesh came in the last over. He used to be a Royal, but gave a Super Giant performance for Lucknow this time. He defended the runs. Rajasthan are not going anywhere. They are losing games that were virtually won," Chopra observed.

RR needed 25 runs off three overs with eight wickets in hand in their IPL 2025 clash against LSG. However, Avesh Khan dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag in the 18th over, while conceding only five runs, to turn the tide. Prince Yadav then gave away just 11 runs in the 19th over before Avesh defended the nine runs required off the last over.

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"A 14-year-old kid, just think about it" - Aakash Chopra lauds Vaibhav Suryavanshi's knock in RR's IPL 2025 loss vs LSG

Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed 34 runs off 20 deliveries in RR's IPL 2025 clash against LSG. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for playing an enterprising knock at the start of the Rajasthan Royals' chase in their IPL 2025 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants.

"Vaibhav Suryavanshi came at the start. A six off the first ball and then a six against Avesh. He had tears in his eyes when he got out. A 14-year-old kid, just think about it. My 12-year-old daughter is watching people doing well, and the world is watching how well this 14-year-old kid is performing," he said (4:15).

Reflecting on LSG's innings, Aakash Chopra lauded Abdul Samad for playing a game-defining knock. The middle-order batter smashed an unbeaten 30 off 10 deliveries to take the visitors to a 180-run total, which proved just enough.