"I am not 100% certain" - Aakash Chopra on whether Arjun Tendulkar will play in Mumbai Indians' IPL 2023 clash vs Gujarat Titans

Arjun Tendulkar was taken to the cleaners against the Punjab Kings. [P/C: iplt20.com]
Arjun Tendulkar was taken to the cleaners against the Punjab Kings. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra is unsure whether the Mumbai Indians (MI) will field Arjun Tendulkar as part of their XI for their IPL 2023 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT).

The two sides will lock horns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, April 24. Tendulkar, who has featured in MI's previous three games, conceded 31 runs in his last over against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and could be given a break against the Titans.

While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the Mumbai Indians have a weak bowling attack and was doubtful about Arjun Tendulkar playing Tuesday's game, saying:

"There are a few concerns in bowling. You will see either Jason Behrendorff or Riley Meredith along with Jofra Archer. Whether Arjun Tendulkar will play or not, I am not 100% certain. To be very honest, you see a few weaknesses in bowling."
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While acknowledging that Piyush Chawla has stood out with the ball, the cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that he was not used effectively against the Punjab Kings, explaining:

"Piyush Chawla has done exceedingly well but he didn't bowl his entire quota of overs. Someone said he was injured. He got injured in the 15th over and spin wasn't supposed to come after that in any case. He should have finished his over before that."

Chawla, with nine scalps, is MI's highest wicket-taker in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. He conceded just 15 runs and picked up two wickets in his first three overs against PBKS, but was not given his final over.


"Mumbai are batting well" - Aakash Chopra says the Mumbai Indians' batting is back on track

Tilak Varma is the Mumbai Indians' highest run-scorer in IPL 2023 thus far. [P/C: iplt20.com]
Tilak Varma is the Mumbai Indians' highest run-scorer in IPL 2023 thus far. [P/C: iplt20.com]

However, Aakash Chopra feels the Mumbai Indians do not have any issues on the batting front, elaborating:

"Mumbai are batting well. Ishan Kishan got out in the last match but Rohit Sharma scored runs. Cameron Green scored runs in the last match and the match prior to that as well."

While acknowledging that Tilak Varma is batting too low, the reputed commentator highlighted that MI's middle order has been among the runs, observing:

"Suryakumar Yadav also scored a half-century in the last match. So batting is back on track, which feels very good. Tilak Varma is not being used very well because he has been pushed further down the order but Tim David also scores runs whenever he gets to bat."

Chopra concluded by saying that the match will be a contest between the Gujarat Titans' bowling and the Mumbai Indians' batting. However, he refrained from picking a likely winner in the clash between Hardik Pandya's current and former sides.

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