IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra questions Eoin Morgan's tactics against RCB

Aakash Chopra has questioned Eoin Morgan's baffling tactics in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)'s 38-run defeat in their IPL 2021 game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

KKR seemed to be right on top when Varun Chakravarthy got rid of Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar in his very first over, the second of the RCB innings. But Eoin Morgan inexplicably removed the mystery spinner from the attack, allowing RCB to stage a comeback.

At the end of 2 overs RCB were 9-2, Varun looks dangerous but Morgan didn't continue with varun went for other bowlers now RCB Scored 204 - 4 at the end of 20 overs.poor captaincy from Eoin Morgan Splendid performance from #RCB 👍 #IPL2021

— VIP (@EppovumVIP_Offl) April 18, 2021

While reviewing the KKR-RCB game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra hit out at Eoin Morgan's decision to release the pressure on the opposition rather than going for the kill.

"It is said that once you have a wrestler on the mat, you can either give him the chance to get up or crush him. Morgan said he will extend the match; he stopped Varun Chakravarthy after taking two wickets, and when an in-form Maxwell had come to the crease, where you will want a bigger contest at the start," said Chopra.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also criticised Eoin Morgan for giving the penultimate over of the RCB innings to Harbhajan Singh.

"And then he did another surprising thing. He got Harbhajan Singh to bowl the 19th over. Who gives the 19th over to an off-spinner when AB de Villiers and Kyle Jamieson are batting, it means two right-handers. I agree his calculation might have gone slightly wrong, but Shakib's over was remaining. You could have got a left-arm spinner who takes the ball away," added Chopra.

The veteran off-spinner was taken for 18 runs by Kyle Jamieson and AB de Villiers as RCB went on to post an imposing total of 204-4.

For the latest IPL purple cap 2021, click here.

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Aakash Chopra questions the batting order adopted by Eoin Morgan

Andre Russell batted at No.7 for KKR [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra also lambasted Eoin Morgan and the KKR think tank for not sending Andre Russell up the order, considering the massive target they were chasing.

"What was the only way you could have won the match? You could have got out for 150, but the only way to win was to give Russell 40-odd balls to face. If he had come around the 9th over, he could have won them the match, otherwise the loss was anyway confirmed because 200 runs couldn't have been chased on that pitch," said Chopra.

"And got to a stage where only Andre Russell could get us going. He's done it a few times before but today, RCB's bowling was too good." - Eoin Morgan

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) April 18, 2021

The former KKR player concluded by saying that Gautam Gambhir was also of the opinion that Eoin Morgan's decisions would have been torn apart if he was an Indian player.

"So Morgan's captaincy was really below-par. Gautam said if he had been an Indian captain, the Indian media would have torn his clothes. Just because he is an overseas captain, no one is talking about it, but it should be done because the captaincy was very ordinary," said Chopra.

Russell was sent into bat when KKR required 90 runs off 38 deliveries. Although he did smash 31 runs off 20 balls, the 205-run target turned out to be a bridge too far for the big-hitting all-rounder.