"If you can't defend 214 runs, it's not a problem of batters" - Aakash Chopra praises Rajasthan Royals' batting in IPL 2023 loss to SRH

Aakash Chopra has lauded the Rajasthan Royals (RR) batters and pointed out that they were not responsible for their loss in their IPL 2023 clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

The Royals set a massive 215-run target for SRH after opting to bat first in Jaipur on Sunday, May 7. The visitors chased down the target off the very last delivery with four wickets to spare to avenge their loss in the reverse fixture at home earlier in the tournament.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the Rajasthan Royals batters cannot be blamed for their defeat, elaborating:

"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."

The former Indian opener pointed out that the trio of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal scored their runs at an excellent pace, explaining:

"Buttler batted extremely well. He scored 20 runs off 20 balls at the start but overall he scored 95 runs off 59 balls. So no one should talk about the strike rate because it was 161 even after scoring 20 runs off 20 balls. Yashasvi had a strike rate of 194 and Sanju Samson's strike rate was 173."

Buttler top-scored for the Rajasthan Royals with a 59-ball 95. While Jaiswal gave his team a flying start by smashing 35 runs off just 18 deliveries, Samson remained unbeaten on a 38-ball 66.

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Aakash Chopra picks Yuzvendra Chahal as his MVP despite Rajasthan Royals' loss

Yuzvendra Chahal was both penetrative and economical. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra highlighted that there were a plethora of options for the most valuable player (MVP) of the game, elaborating:

"Who all were the contenders for the most valuable player? Jos Buttler scored runs - didn't score a century but 90-plus score and Sanju Samson batted extremely well. If you see SRH's batting, you had Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi, and then Heinrich Klaasen's short and Glenn Phillips' explosive knocks."

The reputed commentator chose Yuzvendra Chahal as the MVP, reasoning:

"Yuzi Chahal picked up four wickets. This was a super high-scoring game and in that comes a bowler who concedes just 29 runs in four overs and picks up four wickets. So how will you decide the most valuable player? I know Glenn Phillips got the Player of the Match but Yuzi Chahal is the most valuable player in my opinion. He almost won the match on his own."

Chahal registered figures of 4/29 in his four-over spell. However, the other Rajasthan Royals bowlers were taken to the cleaners in the last few overs as the SunRisers Hyderabad scraped through to a win.