IPL 2021: "Basanti jab tak tumhare paon chalenge tab tak inki saanse chalengi" - Aakash Chopra on Punjab Kings' dependency on Rahul and Mayank

Aakash Chopra has highlighted that the Punjab Kings (PBKS) are overly dependent on Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul in the batting department.

The Punjab Kings face the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in this afternoon's IPL 2021 encounter. The KL Rahul-led side are almost out of contention for a IPL playoff berth and only a miracle can see them through.

While previewing the match in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the pair of Rahul and Mayank are Punjab Kings' lifelines. He said:

"The cream is at the top where Rahul and Mayank come and do the hitting. Till the time they play it is like Basanti jab tak tumhare paon chalenge tab tak inki saanse chalengi, jab tak Rahul aur Mayank ikhate chalte rahenge tab tak Punjab Kings acha khelti rahegi."

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that the Punjab Kings' other batters have been found wanting. Chopra elaborated:

"When one of them gets out, the team becomes half. If both get out, they are totally finished. Whether it is Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram or Deepak Hooda - it has not happened."

While expressing surprise at Moises Henriques' batting approach during the Punjab Kings' last match, Aakash Chopra added that Shahrukh Khan had not been utilized effectively. He observed:

"Moises Henriques was played in the last match. He bowled well but when he came to bat, he was defending. He could hit sixes but was not doing so. Shahrukh Khan has been batting well but he has got few opportunities and his batting comes too late for him to make an impact."

While Rahul and Mayank have amassed 528 and 429 runs respectively in the current edition of the Indian Premier League, none of the other batters have even reached the 200-run mark.

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Aakash Chopra on the Punjab Kings bowling

Arshdeep Singh did not have a great last match for the Punjab Kings [P/C: iplt20.com]

Speaking about the Punjab Kings' bowling, Aakash Chopra named Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami and Ravi Bishnoi as their standout bowlers and added that Harpreet Brar could come in handy against the MS Dhoni-led side. He explained:

"They have been bowling well. Arshdeep has been very good, Shami has been good, Ravi Bishnoi has been good. So these three bowlers are doing a great job. Nathan Ellis okay okay. Harpreet Brar actually bowls well, you can play him against Chennai because left-arm spin, you can wait for Dhoni, you can bowl him in front of Ruturaj and Faf also."

Arshdeep, Shami and Bishnoi have scalped 45 wickets between them in IPL 2021. Brar, with five scalps to his name, is the next highest wicket-taker for the franchise.