IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra on CSK's slow batting vs Gujarat Titans

Aakash Chopra has criticised Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for their timid batting approach on Sunday (May 15) in their IPL 2022 game against Gujarat Titans (GT).

MS Dhoni's side managed only 133-5 in their allotted 20 overs after opting to bat first. The Titans chased down the target with relative ease, winning by seven wickets with five deliveries to spare.

While reviewing the CSK-GT clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that the defending champions were sluggish during their batting effort. He observed:

"CSK won the toss and opted to bat first but the wagon didn't move at all. We call this team Chennai Express but this was Chennai Mail, they were moving extremely slowly."

While acknowledging that Ruturaj Gaikwad (53 off 49) and Narayan Jagadeesan (39* off 33) made decent contributions with the bat, the cricketer-turned-commentator questioned the pace of their knocks. Chopra elaborated:

"Ruturaj Gaikwad did score runs but the pace at which he scored the runs, not good enough. Honestly, you will have to run faster. Jagadeesan was made to bat up the order but he also went slowly."

He pointed out that a 134-run target was never going to be enough and lauded Wriddhiman Saha for carrying his bat through the Titans' chase. Chopra said:

"MS Dhoni said later that you won't come to know unless you try but the number of runs you scored, you bat for 20 overs and don't even score 145, that is a bit of a problem. 133 for five - not done at all. Wriddhiman Saha - one more time, he is the man. He stays till the end, scores 67 not out."

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Dhoni acknowledged in the post-match interview that the pitch was difficult to bat on at the start and that CSK had probably taken the wrong call by opting to bat first. However, the talismanic captain would have wanted his batters to be more enterprising to set a more challenging target for Hardik Pandya's IPL team.

Click here to view the orange cap in IPL 2022.

"It was an absolutely forgettable season for CSK" - Aakash Chopra

Chennai Super Kings have registered just four wins in IPL 2022 thus far [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra concluded by highlighting CSK's poor returns in IPL 2022. He explained:

"The team in yellow, they have won just four matches, are at the ninth spot with just eight points. They can leave Hyderabad behind or come at par with them, but that's a separate story. It's been a bad season to be fair. Even in the bad 2020 season, they registered six wins in the end, it will not be six here because only one match is left and you have won four only. It was an absolutely forgettable season for CSK."

CSK will hope to win their last game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) to end their campaign on a positive note.

A win in that game will help them avoid the wooden spoon and might even take them above Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2022 points table if Kane Williamson's team lose their two remaining games.