"Ajinkya Rahane was stuck in the middle" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's IPL 2024 loss to SRH

Aakash Chopra has noted that Ajinkya Rahane's failure to accelerate potentially compromised the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) total in their IPL 2024 clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Rahane scored a 30-ball 35 as CSK set SRH a 166-run target after being asked to bat first in Hyderabad on Friday, April 5. The home team chased the target down with six wickets and 11 deliveries to spare to hand the visitors their second successive defeat.

Reflecting on CSK's innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that while Rachin Ravindra has been dismissed similarly in his last two knocks, Rahane struggled to provide the required momentum.

"When they were invited to bat, Rachin Ravindra, who started well (in the tournament), has been dismissed identically in the last two matches. Khaleel Ahmed and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have got him out similarly - a delivery outside off-stump, he played a pull and was caught at mid-on," he elaborated (14:45).

"Ruturaj Gaikwad seemed a little more confident this time but he got out as well. Then Ajinkya Rahane came to bat. Ajinkya Rahane was stuck in the middle. He did score runs and stood in the middle for a long time but it wasn't a pitch that favored him," the former India opener added.

Chopra noted that Rahane virtually wanted to throw his wicket eventually.

"At one stage, it seemed like he was trying to hit every ball as it wouldn't have mattered even if he had gotten out, someone else would come, but he couldn't possibly just carry on. So he got out in the end," he observed.

Rahane struck only two fours and a six during his 30-ball stay. His dismissal off the final ball of the 15th over also didn't help CSK's cause as they managed only 38 runs in the last five overs.

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"He is batting differently" - Aakash Chopra lauds CSK's Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube smashed 45 runs off 24 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra noted that Shivam Dube was the Chennai Super Kings' only star performer on Friday.

"My first performer came in the form of Shivam Dube. How well he is batting. If a ball is in his range and whenever he hits the ball in the air, it goes into the stands. He is batting differently. He hits both fast bowlers and spinners," he said (15:30).

"People are scared of bowling spin against him, that they shouldn't give the ball to Shahbaz Ahmed or Mayank Markande because if he swung the bat, it would be a six for sure. The consistency with which he is hitting sixes, consider him for the T20 World Cup. The guy is batting very well," the reputed commentator added.

Dube smoked two fours and four sixes during his 45-run knock. He dominated his 65-run third-wicket partnership with Ajinkya Rahane, and the CSK innings virtually stalled after his dismissal.