"You don't play spinners at all" - Aakash Chopra questions SRH's playing combination in IPL 2025 loss vs GT

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the playing combination they fielded in their IPL 2025 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT). He noted that the Hyderabad-based franchise had only one frontline spinner in their bowling attack.

SRH set GT a 153-run target in Match 19 of IPL 2025 in Hyderabad on Sunday, April 6. The visitors achieved the target with seven wickets and 20 deliveries to spare to climb into second position on the points table.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Washington Sundar (49 off 29) for playing a game-changing knock for GT and opined that SRH might be wondering whether they should have played an additional specialist spinner alongside Zeeshan Ansari.

"They (SRH) got wickets with the new ball. Pat Cummins and Mohammad Shami picked up a wicket apiece, but Washi came suddenly from a very unknown quarter. Washington Sundar's story is very interesting. Washi didn't bowl a single over. When he got to bat, he scored 49. How well he batted," Chopra said (3:30).

"They (GT) were stuck at the start, and then came a Simarjeet (Singh) over where 20 runs were scored - two fours and two sixes. Before that, Shubman Gill had hit two fours off Shami's last two balls. Suddenly, four fours and two sixes in eight balls, and the game turned from there. After that, you realized you didn't have spinners. You don't play spinners at all," he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that SRH could have played either Rahul Chahar or Adam Zampa, highlighting that Kamindu Mendis lacks potency and accuracy as a spinner.

"Your Rahul Chahar is sitting outside. You are not giving chances to Adam Zampa. You go with just Zeeshan Ansari. Kamindu Mendis is an ambidextrous genius, but the truth is that when someone bowls with both hands, he doesn't have that much turn and accuracy, and it was found out," Chopra observed.

Zeeshan Ansari went wicketless but was reasonably economical, conceding only 33 runs in his four overs. Kamindu Mendis and Abhishek Sharma, the other spinners tried by SRH, also failed to pick up a wicket and gave away 30 runs in their two overs.

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"This is the sign of a true leader" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shubman Gill's knock in GT's IPL 2025 win vs SRH

Shubman Gill's unbeaten half-century helped GT register an easy win against SRH. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Sherfane Rutherford for playing a blazing knock during the Gujarat Titans' chase and Shubman Gill for staying till the end and taking his team over the line.

"Washi got out. Sherfane Rutherford came and sent a ball to the Hussain Sagar Lake. How well he hits. He is also outstanding. However, Shubman Gill, a run chase where there were chances of things going awry. However, he drank his ego, played properly, and stayed till the end. This is the sign of a true leader," he said (4:30).

Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 61 off 43 deliveries with the help of nine fours. Sherfane Rutherford smashed six fours and a massive six in his unbeaten 16-ball 35.