"No T20 team that has problems at No. 3 can do well" - Aakash Chopra says Devdutt Padikkal is a good acquisition for LSG ahead of IPL 2024 auction

Aakash Chopra reckons Devdutt Padikkal's acquisition could resolve the Lucknow Super Giants' No. 3 issues in IPL 2024.

LSG traded in Padikkal and released Avesh Khan to the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. The trade also added ₹2.25 crore to their purse, leaving them with a remaining budget of ₹13.15 crore to buy a maximum of six players, including two foreigners.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that LSG acquired Padikkal to address their No. 3 issues. He elaborated (3:35):

"They (LSG) have done a big trade. The No. 3 batter was a problem. If you check out the entire last season, with (KL) Rahul or without him, you will find problems at No. 3. Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya and Prerak Mankad were tried at No. 3 but the job wasn't getting done."

The former India opener added:

"None of them was a solution to that problem. No T20 team that has problems at No. 3 can do well. So this team gave Avesh Khan and in came Devdutt Padikkal. If you see Devdutt Padikkal's Vijay Hazare Trophy numbers, you will say he is in gun form."

Padikkal has smashed 465 runs for Karnataka at an outstanding average of 155.00 and an impressive strike rate of 120.46 in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has struck two centuries and three half-centuries in five innings, with 117 being his top score.

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"It seemed like Rajasthan didn't use him well" - Aakash Chopra on Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal endured an underwhelming run in IPL 2023. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra claimed that the Rajasthan Royals couldn't use Devdutt Padikkal effectively. He explained (4:20):

"It seemed like Rajasthan didn't use him well. The player is very good but their problem was that they had Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson as their top three. So they were sending Devdutt Padikkal at No. 4. It's better not to play him because he is not useful there."

The cricketer-turned-commentator termed the southpaw a good acquisition for the Lucknow Super Giants and urged the franchise to always bat him in the top three. He said:

"It will be a challenge for Lucknow as well that they should always keep him at No. 3 and get him to open if they get a chance because he is actually a very good player. His best in the IPL came as an opener for RCB. So it is a good trade as they have completely put aside the No. 3 problem."

Sanjay Manjrekar recently suggested that LSG should bat Padikkal at the top of the order alongside Quinton de Kock. He opined that KL Rahul should bat down the order, claiming it would help the LSG skipper put forth his case as a middle-order batter in India's squad for next year's T20 World Cup.