IPL 2021: "Why they didn't do that, I have got no idea" - Aakash Chopra questions Delhi Capitals' tactics against CSK

Aakash Chopra has questioned the tactics the Delhi Capitals (DC) employed in their IPL 2021 Qualifier 1 defeat against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday.

The Delhi Capitals failed to defend 172 runs in last night's Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter against CSK. The Rishabh Pant-led side will now cross swords in Qualifier 2 on Wednesday with the winner of tonight's eliminator between KKR and RCB.

While reflecting on DC's bowling effort, Aakash Chopra highlighted that their seamers not bombarding Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa with short-pitched deliveries was perplexing. He explained:

"You were waiting for someone to bowl a bouncer to Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa because they have been dismissed by bouncers. Nortje, Rabada and Avesh have the pace, but no one bowled a bouncer. Why they didn't do that, I have got no idea."

The cricketer-turned-commentator also questioned the Delhi Capitals' decision of not giving Ravichandran Ashwin his full quota of overs and the off-spinner not bowling his stock delivery. Chopra observed:

"Ravichandran Ashwin, once again, bowled just a couple of overs. They are not giving him the full bowling, and Ravichandran Ashwin is also not bowling off-spin; he is just coming and bowling the leg-cutters. There is something that's not right."

With the Delhi Capitals opting to play an additional bowler in Tom Curran, Ashwin was given just two overs, in which he conceded 19 runs.

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Aakash Chopra on the Delhi Capitals' choice of bowlers at the death

Avesh Khan bowled the crucial 19th over for the Delhi Capitals. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra criticised Delhi Capitals' IPL captain Rishabh Pant's choice of bowler to bowl the penultimate over. He elaborated:

"Pant had options in the last two overs. Rabada, Tom Curran and Avesh Khan had an over left. Rabada didn't bowl an over. Rabada has never been hit for a four by Dhoni, and Avesh had bowled poorly in the last match as well. Those scars were still fresh, and he had not bowled well in this match till now, but he (Pant) went to Avesh Khan for the 19th. Avesh Khan was hit, unsurprisingly."

The former KKR player also opined that Kagiso Rabada should have bowled the last over instead of Tom Curran. Chopra said in this regard:

"You are searching for Rabada in the 20th over. He still doesn't go to Rabada. He goes to Tom Curran. He does take a wicket off the first ball, but remember one thing, Tom Curran was hit for three consecutive sixes last year when nothing was going right for Chennai. Three fours in three balls this time."

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Delhi Capitals committed far too many tactical mistakes, and have only themselves to blame for failing to seal a spot in the IPL 2021 final after the first qualifier.

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