"The big trophy-winning teams don't go anywhere" - Aakash Chopra questions PBKS ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs LSG

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for playing their IPL 2025 home games at multiple venues. He pointed out that the most successful IPL sides never move away from their original home grounds.

PBKS will host the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 54 of IPL 2025 in Dharamsala in the evening game on Sunday, May 4. The IPL 2014 runners-up had played their first four home games this season in Mullanpur.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered why PBKS are hosting LSG in Dharamsala, highlighting that both teams will be similarly familiar with the conditions.

"This match is in Dharamsala. Interestingly, they are going away from home. They will play three consecutive games here. A good thing they did was that they had a camp here before the tournament. So they have a little idea at least. I will say a little bit only because it's been one-and-a-half months since that camp," Chopra said (14:30).

"I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that why they do this. The big trophy-winning teams don't go anywhere. Why do you go? Will you get more money? No, you won't. That ground is as unknown to you as Lucknow. So the first game is an away game for Punjab. It's an away game for Lucknow. What is the point?" he added.

Aakash Chopra also questioned the Punjab Kings for playing Suryansh Shedge ahead of Marcus Stoinis in their previous game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai on April 30. He urged the franchise to pick quicker bowlers for Sunday's game, with Xavier Bartlett and Vyshak Vijaykumar potentially replacing Azmatullah Omarzai and Harpreet Brar in the playing combination.

---

"Only the top 3 are doing well" - Aakash Chopra on LSG ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs PBKS

Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram will likely open for LSG in their IPL 2025 clash against PBKS. [P/C: Getty]

Turning his attention to LSG, Aakash Chopra noted that the visitors have been overreliant on Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran in IPL 2025.

"Only the top three are doing well, in which Pooran has tapered off a little bit. However, he is too good a player, and the ball goes into the valley at this ground. It's a small ground, the air is thin, and the ball travels far. Markram, Pooran and Mitch Marsh have together made 62% of the runs this team has scored," he said (16:10).

The cricketer-turned-commentator then added that Rishabh Pant and David Miller have been far from their best this season.

"They are the heart and heartbeat of this team. They will hit a lot if they come good, but you will have problems if they don't come good because Rishabh Pant has still not arrived in this tournament. David Miller also hasn't arrived yet, although I remember him playing a very good knock for South Africa at this ground," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra picked the Punjab Kings as the favorites heading into their IPL 2025 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants. He reasoned that Shreyas Iyer and company are the better team.