IPL 2021: "When Suresh Raina's bat broke, I said CSK's heart had broken" - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra believes the mode of Suresh Raina's dismissal would have broken the hearts of the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) ardent supporters.

Raina had walked into the middle in yesterday's IPL 2021 encounter against the Mumbai Indians (MI) when Ambati Rayudu retired hurt due to a blow on his arm. The southpaw played some ungainly shots before he was dismissed while going for a hoick.

While reflecting on CSK's batting performance in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was particularly critical of the shot played by Raina. He explained:

"At the start, the luck was not in their favor the way Faf got out. Moeen Ali got caught off a ball that stopped a little. After that, Suresh Raina played a bad shot. Honestly, when his bat broke, I said CSK's heart had broken. That was not a shot that was on, it was not necessary to play that at that moment."

The former Indian cricketer pointed out that Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja bailed CSK out of a grave situation. Chopra said:

"Then you lose another wicket and Ambati Rayudu had got injured. I mean you are done and dusted. But from there, they stage a fightback, the 81-run partnership between Jadeja and Ruturaj Gaikwad."

Jadeja joined Gaikwad in the middle when CSK lost their fourth wicket in the form of MS Dhoni with just 24 runs on the board and Rayudu also rendered hors de combat. The duo strung together an 81-run partnership in a little over ten overs to bring them back into the game.

You can check out the purple cap in IPL 2021 here.

---

Aakash Chopra on the bright spot in the CSK innings

Ruturaj Gaikwad was CSK's standout performer with the bat [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra lauded Gaikwad for carrying on with his rich vein of form for CSK in the UAE. He elaborated:

"Ruturaj was not playing at the start when the IPL happened here last time, he had COVID as well. Then three fifties in the last three matches, the first Chennai player to do so. He has just picked up from where he had left."

The former KKR player signed off by speaking highly of the CSK opener's pleasing knock. Chopra observed:

"It was a beautiful 88-run knock. In my opinion, one of the best T20 knocks that you would see. He is a phenomenal player, I like his style of playing a lot."

Gaikwad's unbeaten 88 came off just 58 deliveries and was studded with nine fours and four maximums. Following his partnership with Jadeja, the 24-year-old added a further 39 runs in less than three overs with Dwayne Bravo that helped CSK reach a defendable score.