"Whenever they win the match, they win because of him" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rahul Tripathi's match-winning knock for SRH vs MI in IPL 2022

Aakash Chopra has lauded Rahul Tripathi for playing a match-winning knock in Tuesday's (May 17) IPL 2022 encounter between the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Tripathi smashed 76 runs off just 44 balls as SRH posted a formidable score of 193/6 on the board. Their bowlers then restricted MI to 190/7, thereby winning the match by three runs.

While reviewing the SRH-MI clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra picked Tripathi's knock as a game-defining performance. He elaborated:

"In my opinion, Rahul Tripathi. He made 76 off 44 balls, with three sixes and nine fours. He had a strike rate of 172 and I will tell you one more thing about him, he has a strike rate above 190 in winning causes. So whenever they win the match, they win because of him, he runs at double speed, and when he gets out, Hyderabad is also out along with him."

The former India batter highlighted Rahul Tripathi's proficiency against both spin and pace. Chopra observed:

"He is my favorite uncapped Indian player since the time he has started playing the IPL. We all know that he is selfless. It does not bother him whether it is a spinner or a fast bowler, you get Bumrah to bowl or any other bowler, it does not matter to him."

Chopra was particularly appreciative of Tripathi for taking Jasprit Bumrah to the cleaners. He explained:

"If he goes after you, he goes after you. The one shot (pulled six) he hit against Bumrah and then hit two fours as well, suddenly you realized that he is serious quality."

Tripathi hit a six and two fours off the final three deliveries of Bumrah's first over, the fifth over of the SRH innings. He first pulled the premier Indian pacer over mid-wicket for a six and followed it up with two classy strokes for boundaries.

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"Why not Rahul Tripathi for the series against South Africa?" - Aakash Chopra

Rahul Tripathi was duly chosen as the Player of the Match [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra concluded by asking for Tripathi's inclusion in India's side for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. He reasoned:

"And I am saying, because SKY (Suryakumar Yadav) might not be available at all, why not Rahul Tripathi for the series against South Africa? You will give him an opportunity sometime or the other and if he is doing so well in T20s regularly, I think it is his right that you keep him."

Tripathi's 393 runs in IPL 2022 have come at an impressive average of 39.30 and an exceptional strike rate of 161.72. With some of the seniors likely to be rested for the T20I series against the Proteas, the Maharashtra batter will certainly be in the selector's scheme of things.