"When does it happen that he bowls only 2 overs?" - Aakash Chopra on star bowler ahead of GT vs RCB IPL 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has expressed keenness to see how the Gujarat Titans' (GT) star bowler Rashid Khan fares in their IPL 2025 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He noted that the Afghanistan spinner was given only two overs in the Titans' 36-run win against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their previous game.

GT will lock horns with RCB in Match 14 of IPL 2025 in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 2. With a win and a loss in their first two games, the IPL 2022 champions are placed fourth on the points table, with the same number of points but a better net run rate than the six teams below them.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Rashid would be in focus in GT's IPL 2025 clash against RCB.

"Rashid Khan's karamati darshan has not yet happened. Sai Kishore has been bowling beautifully, whether it was the first or the second match. In fact, Rashid bowled just two overs in the second match. When does it happen that he bowls only two overs? So how Rashid bowls is something that I really want to see because the last year was not good," he said (8:20).

Chopra pointed out that the leg spinner does not lack support from the other end this season.

"The weaknesses were evident in bowling and he had to come in the powerplay. People were not hitting him because the others were getting hit so much. However, that's not the case this year. (Mohammed) Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have bowled well, they have got Kagiso Rabada, and they play Ishant Sharma as well. Kulwant Khejroliya is also sitting outside," he observed.

Rashid Khan has picked up a solitary wicket at an economy rate of 9.67 in the Gujarat Titans' first two games in IPL 2025. Sai Kishore (four wickets) has been the franchise's most successful bowler this season, with Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, and Mohammed Siraj picking up two wickets apiece.

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"If he is not fit, this team will derail" - Aakash Chopra on Sai Sudharsan ahead of GT's IPL 2025 clash vs RCB

Sai Sudharsan has scored 137 runs at a strike rate of 167.07 in two innings in IPL 2025. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on the Gujarat Titans' batting, Aakash Chopra noted that the franchise would be in trouble if Sai Sudharsan is ruled out of the game due to an injury he sustained while fielding against the Mumbai Indians.

"The biggest question is the status of Sai Sudharsan's injury. Sai scored fifties in the first two matches. God forbid, if he is not fit, this team will derail because this team's batting is the top three, where one of them needs to bat till the 15th over. If one of them goes, and the guy who has scored two fifties in two games, then you have a problem," he said in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-commentator wondered whether Shubman Gill would play a much-awaited big knock in Wednesday's game.

"Shubman Gill has looked good in both matches. A big knock is missing. I remember a game here where (Virat) Kohli scored a century, and he (Gill) scored a century in the second innings to win them the game. Considering the form Shubman Gill is in and the way he is batting, could this be that game where he makes it really big?" Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Gujarat Titans' lower-middle order has not yet been tested in IPL 2025. While observing that Sherfane Rutherford has played a 46-run knock, he added that the likes of Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan haven't spent much time at the crease.