Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has questioned Nitish Rana for his underwhelming performances in the ongoing IPL 2026. Rana was dismissed after scoring only five runs against Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday. Eventually, DC suffered a heartbreaking one-run loss against GT after David Miller could not score two runs off the last two balls.
Meanwhile, Rana has managed only 20 runs in three matches of the ongoing season and hasn’t been at his best. The southpaw had scored 393 runs in 11 matches of Delhi Premier League 2025 at an average of 65.50 but he hasn’t been able to replicate the same form.
Chopra said Ashutosh Sharma is waiting in the wings, and Rana needs to make the most of his chances.
“The run chase could have been slightly better. Nitish Rana, you will have to do something because it’s been three knocks. Sameer Rizvi won’t win you matches every day. Ashutosh Sharma is sitting outside. I think it’s a big predicament for Nitish Rana as to what he should do,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator said Tristan Stubbs could have been promoted in the batting order after the South African batted at number seven. Stubbs was run out after scoring seven runs.
“I felt Tristan Stubbs could have been sent earlier. He was sent late. His run-out with a direct hit was again a game-changing moment. The interesting thing about David Miller was that he had an injured hand, and he had gone out. Then he came back, and he started smashing sixes,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Chopra praised DC opener Pathum Nissanka for scoring an impressive knock of 41 runs off 24 balls in the run-chase of 211. The Sri Lankan batter smashed rookie bowler Ashok Sharma for 23 runs in the last over of the Powerplay.
“Pathum Nissanka, again batting like a dream. He hit Ashok Sharma for 23 runs in an over, and not even one ball was bad, and not even one shot was unconventional. He hits with a straight bat. He is brilliant. If I said Jos Buttler did sublime batting, he too was doing absolutely sublime batting. I don’t know who was doing it better,” he said.
Delhi Capitals will next take on Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Saturday.
