"Couldn't understand at all what you people did" - Aakash Chopra criticizes Rajasthan Royals after their IPL 2023 loss to RCB

Aakash Chopra has questioned the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) approach in their IPL 2023 loss to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

RCB set RR a 172-run target after opting to bat first at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in the afternoon game on Sunday, May 14. The home team were then bowled for a paltry 59, losing the game by a massive margin of 112 runs and consequently receiving a huge jolt in their quest to qualify for the playoffs.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra criticized the Rajasthan Royals' batting performance, stating:

"You lost five wickets in the powerplay and what was left after that. Couldn't understand at all what you people did because the 112-run difference has given a huge blow to your net run rate and that too at this stage of the tournament."

The former Indian opener pointed out that the inaugural IPL champions are overreliant on their top three in the batting department, observing:

"If Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson don't score runs, the rest are not scoring runs. This time the grand total for the three of them was four runs - zero, zero and Sanju's four runs."

Yashasvi Jaiswal (575), Jos Buttler (392) and Sanju Samson (360) are the only Rajasthan Royals batters to have breached the 300-run mark in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. Shimron Hetmyer did smash a 19-ball 35 in Sunday's game, but it was never going to be enough after the home team had lost their top three with just seven runs on the board.

---

"I didn't understand Sanju's shot" - Aakash Chopra on the Rajasthan Royals skipper's dismissal

Sanju Samson lost his wicket to an irresponsible shot. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra was particularly disappointed with the mode of Sanju Samson's dismissal, saying:

"Yashasvi - it was the first over and he tried to play a big shot straight down the ground and he got caught. Jos Buttler was caught towards cover. I didn't understand Sanju's shot."

The reputed commentator also questioned the Rajasthan Royals' team selection, explaining:

"One more thing that comes to mind is that if you have the Impact Player, why do you have only five bowlers? Why did KM Asif have to bowl that last over because you didn't have any other options remaining? If you have only five bowling options despite there being an Impact Player, it means you are getting things wrong."

KM Asif picked up two crucial wickets in his four-over spell but conceded 16 runs off the final three deliveries of RCB's innings. Anuj Rawat smoked him for two sixes and a four to give some much-needed momentum to the visitors ahead of RR's chase.