"If you are a Kolkata fan, tell me what you feel about Mitchell Starc this season" - Aakash Chopra criticizes KKR seamer's bowling in IPL win vs RCB

Aakash Chopra has criticized Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seamer Mitchell Starc's bowling during their IPL 2024 win against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

KKR set RCB a 223-run target in Kolkata on Sunday, April 21. Although Starc conceded 55 runs in three overs, the hosts eked out a one-run win to climb into second position on the points table.

Reflecting on KKR's bowling in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakaravarthy. On the flip side, he wondered whether Starc doesn't deserve to be criticized.

"Harshit Rana - a performance deserving thumbs up with both hands. Sunil Narine - a performance deserving thumbs up with both hands. Varun Chakaravarthy bowled an over where he conceded only five runs. Harshit Rana came for the next over and he too bowled a six-run over," he said (7:00).

"You can criticize that we shouldn't talk this and that about Mitchell Starc, but if you are a Kolkata fan, tell me what you feel about Mitchell Starc this season. Give an honest review on whether you were happy with what you saw. If you are not happy, then if someone else is criticizing and showing the truth in the mirror, don't take your ire on him," the former India opener added.

Chopra noted that Starc almost lost KKR a game they should have won easily before he dismissed Karn Sharma to help them scrape through to a win.

"In the end, 21 runs were required in the last over. He kept third man and point inside the circle and was bowling wide yorkers to Karn Sharma, and Karn hit him for three sixes. He took an excellent caught-and-bowled, actually the match turned from there, or else it would have been over," he observed.

Karn smashed Starc for three sixes off the first four deliveries when RCB needed 21 runs off the final over. The left-arm seamer took a brilliant return catch to dismiss Karn off the penultimate delivery before Lockie Ferguson's run-out while attempting a second run off the final ball sealed KKR's win.

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"Phil Salt came and started hitting" - Aakash Chopra on KKR's batting

Phil Salt smoked 48 runs off 14 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on KKR's batting, Aakash Chopra lauded Phil Salt for giving them a flying start and the RCB bowlers for restricting Sunil Narine.

"Phil Salt came and started hitting. The good thing was that they came with a plan for Sunil Narine. They consistently bowled yorkers, hit his shoe and got him out as well. Phil Salt got out when he reached close to the fastest fifty," he said (4:55).

While praising Shreyas Iyer (50 off 36), Rinku Singh (24 off 16) and Andre Russell (27* off 20) for playing crucial knocks, the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Ramandeep Singh made the game-defining contribution.

"Shreyas Iyer was actually very good. Rinku Singh played a good short knock. Andre Russell played a good knock but Ramandeep Singh's runs proved to be the difference in the end. An uncapped Indian player once again made an impact," Chopra observed.

Ramandeep smashed an unbeaten 24 off just nine deliveries. The middle-order batter and Russell stitched together an unbroken 43-run seventh-wicket partnership in just 2.4 overs.