IPL 2021: "Rishabh Pant has to fire" - Aakash Chopra picks key players in the Qualifier-1 clash between DC and CSK

Aakash Chopra feels Rishabh Pant will have to play a significant knock for the Delhi Capitals (DC) to get past the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in tonight's IPL 2021 Qualifier-1 game.

Pant is yet to score a half-century since the current edition of the Indian Premier League resumed in the UAE. The DC captain has tended to throw away his wicket in the last few matches while going for big shots.

While previewing the CSK-DC clash, in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that Pant holds the key to the IPL 2020 finalists coming up trumps against CSK on Sunday. He elaborated:

"I am expecting that Rishabh Pant finally has to play a knock that is for posterity, which you watch repeatedly and remember. He has not done that this year; he has made runs, but that knock is missing. If this team has to do well against the opposing bowling attack and win this encounter, then Rishabh Pant has to fire."

The cricketer-turned-commentator also picked the bowlers CSK are likely to employ against the two Delhi Capitals openers. Chopra said:

"Deepak Chahar has the upper hand against Prithvi. Once again the contest will be very interesting. Josh Hazlewood and probably Moeen Ali will be called for Shikhar Dhawan because he has problems against spin at times. So those are the two contests I am looking forward to watch."

Barring the last match, Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw have not given the Delhi Capitals flying starts in the UAE leg of IPL 2021. CSK will hope to dismiss the two openers early, and expose the frailties in the DC middle order.

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Aakash Chopra on the keys to CSK's success against DC

Deepak Chahar dismissed Prithvi Shaw in the last match between CSK and DC. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra feels Deepak Chahar needs to strike with the new ball for CSK to gain the ascendancy. He observed:

"I feel CSK will become weaker if Deepak Chahar doesn't take wickets with the new ball. Deepak Chahar has not been picking wickets with the new ball in the second half."

The former India opener concluded by picking Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja as the key players for CSK with the ball and bat, respectively. Chopra explained:

"Shardul Thakur has been exceptional. Shardul Thakur comes and makes a match of it when you have lost everything. So, this match will depend a lot on Lord Thakur with the ball and with the bat, I think Sir Ravindra Jadeja towards the end. Of course, everyone knows about the openers."

It'll be interesting to see if Jadeja earns a promotion in the batting order, considering CSK's middle-order woes. The spin-bowling all-rounder has improved his batting by leaps and bounds, and can even build an innings if required.