IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra says Manish Pandey's strike rate was not ideal

Aakash Chopra has opined Manish Pandey's strike rate was not ideal considering the mammoth score the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were chasing in their IPL 2021 encounter against KKR on Sunday.

The Kolkata Knight Riders set a massive 188-run target for the David Warner-led side on the spin-friendly Chepauk surface. Pandey played an unbeaten 61 run-knock for SRH but could not get the team across the line.

While reflecting on the SRH run chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra lauded Jonny Bairstow's knock while pointing out that Manish Pandey could have been a little more enterprising.

"There was a partnership between Manish Pandey and Bairstow. Bairstow played very well, he justified his selection, but if you leave out the last-ball six, Pandey went at a strike rate of 127, which is not ideal when you are trying to chase down a huge total," said Chopra.

However, the reputed commentator did acknowledge that it was just the first encounter for SRH, and time in the middle will hold Pandey in good stead in the upcoming matches.

"But it was just the first match. If you score runs in the first match, it means the season can be good. He is an important member of this team. So, the start has been good, he will get confidence from this fifty and because of that will score more runs going ahead," added Aakash Chopra.

Manish Pandey scored his 61 runs off 44 deliveries. With SRH losing a couple of early wickets, the Karnataka batsman was forced to play a little conservatively but probably pushed the accelerator pedal a little too late in the chase.

Unbeaten fifty from @im_manishpandey 👏👏Gave it his all 🙌#SRHvKKR #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/n0EdvzNxeJ

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 11, 2021

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Aakash Chopra questions Abdul Samad's batting position

Aakash Chopra feels Abdul Samad could have been sent further up the order

While acknowledging that SRH might have sent Vijay Shankar and Mohammed Nabi up the order considering their experience, Aakash Chopra expressed surprise at Abdul Samad being held back.

"The other question is you kept Samad too low down the order. It's another thing I was slightly surprised with but that's okay because you expect more sixes from Vijay Shankar and Nabi based on their reputation," said Chopra.

The 43-year-old concluded by highlighting the teenager's ability to play big shots against some of the best bowlers in the world.

"Samad is my favorite player. How well he bats, he had hit 36 sixes in his debut first-class season. And he has hit sixes against Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Jasprit Bumrah, and Pat Cummins in the IPL," concluded Aakash Chopra.

Another MAXIMUM from Samad!!! 🔥🔥#SRH - 165/5 (18.4)#SRHvKKR #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy pic.twitter.com/UbYx69X4yj

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 11, 2021

Abdul Samad smacked Pat Cummins for a couple of sixes in the 19th over to give SRH an outside chance of a victory. The Orange Army might have erred by not sending him ahead of Vijay Shankar, with the latter known more for building an innings than his big-hitting prowess.