If you can’t defend 214 runs, it’s not a problem of batters, it’s a problem of bowlers: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra (Photo Source: Instagram/Aakash Chopra)

In the match of the IPL 2023, Rajasthan Royals had set a humungous target of 215 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur on Sunday. The visitors chased down the target in a dramatic fashion on the last ball with four wickets in hand and kept their hopes alive in the tournament.

Following the match, on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pinned his view that the RR batters cannot be blamed for the defeat that they suffered at the hands of SRH as their bowlers were the ones who need to be blamed for the defeat, and to some extent poor captaincy.

“To ask the question whether more runs could have been scored there, I mean you will never know. But if you can’t defend 214 runs, it’s not a problem of batters, it is a problem of bowlers, especially when there was no dew,” Chopra said.

SRH clinch the last-ball thriller in dramatic fashion

The former Indian batsman also pointed out the fact that the top order of RR scored runs at a brisk pace as they piled up 61 runs inside the first six overs. Joss Butler was the top scorer for the RR with a blistering knock of 95 which came off just 59 balls. Meanwhile, his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal gave the team a superb start by hitting 35 runs off just 18 balls. In addition, to it, the Skipper Samson scored an eye-pleasing 38 ball 66 and remained unbeaten.

In reply to the mammoth score of 214 runs, SRH kept losing wickets at regular intervals but managed to stay in the game with some useful contributions from the top order. Abhishek Sharma top scored with a 34 ball 55 while Rahul Tripathi chipped in with an aggressive 29 balls 47 runs. But the twist in the tale came in the 19th over where Glenn Phillips took on Kuldip Yadav for 22 runs in the first four balls before getting out to a well-judged catch by Shimron Hetmyer. Lastly, Abdul Samad took the team over the line in a dramatic end hitting the last ball for a six when four runs were needed on the last ball.