"Why did you send Deepak Hooda?" - Aakash Chopra questions Lucknow Super Giants' tactics in IPL 2023 loss to Gujarat Titans

Aakash Chopra has questioned the Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) tactics, including their decision to send Deepak Hooda at No. 3, in their IPL 2023 loss to the Gujarat Titans (GT).

The Titans set a 228-run target for LSG after being asked to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 7. Their bowlers then restricted the visitors to 171/7 to help their team complete an emphatic 56-run win and consolidate their position atop the points table.

Reflecting on the Lucknow Super Giants' chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock for giving them a flying start but criticized the team management's decision to send Deepak Hooda once the duo was separated, elaborating:

"When it was Lucknow's turn to bat, this team also batted well. Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock launched absolute rockets. More than 70 runs were scored in the first six overs. I mean, cat among the pigeons."

The former Indian opener added:

"Mayers got out and Deepak Hooda came to bat. A lot of people might say that Deepak Hooda played slow, scored at a run-a-ball, but Deepak Hooda does not have form at all. Why did you send Deepak Hooda?"

Chopra pointed out that the Lucknow Super Giants had a plethora of in-form batters who could have been sent ahead of Hooda, explaining:

"You, I and everyone know that he does not have form. What all options you had - Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni and Krunal Pandya as well, who batted at No. 3 in the last match. You went towards Deepak Hooda despite having so many options. You lost the momentum there."

Mayers (48 off 32) and De Kock (70 off 41) added 88 runs for the first wicket in just 8.2 overs. The innings went downhill thereafter as Hooda scored a run-a-ball 11, with LSG losing a flurry of wickets due to the mounting required run rate.

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"It actually became a formality" - Aakash Chopra says the Lucknow Super Giants' batting order was inexplicable

Krunal Pandya batted at No. 8 for LSG. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra believes the Lucknow Super Giants made tactical errors in bowling as well as batting, observing:

"Then you lost wickets one after the other and at one stage it actually became a formality. When you were bowling, you got Swapnil Singh to bowl only one over, he gave only seven runs but you didn't get him to bowl again and when it came to batting, your batting order was completely inexplicable."

Chopra also questioned LSG's decision of opting to field after winning the toss in a day game. He reasoned that it would have been difficult to chase if they had posted a 200-plus total, highlighting the Gujarat Titans' failure to achieve a 131-run target against the Delhi Capitals on the same ground.