Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra hailed Mumbai Indians’ aggressive batting approach after their convincing seven-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday. While chasing 198, MI got over the line in just 15.3 overs as their batters took the attack to the opposition.
MI openers – Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma – added 72 runs in the Powerplay overs with the former doing the bulk of the scoring. Rohit scored 38 runs off 24 balls before he was caught brilliantly by Reece Topley.
Kishan went on to score 69 runs off just 34 balls whereas SKY, who was dismissed for naught in the last game, was able to hit the ground running. Yadav completed his fifty off just 17 balls, which is the fastest for him in the IPL.
Ishan Kishan scored seven fours and five sixes and made the most of the field restrictions. Moreover, SKY smashed five fours and four maximums in his blistering knock.
All the RCB bowlers conceded their runs at an economy rate of more than 10 as they no answers to MI’s onslaught.
“Ishan Kishan started this time. Ishan had reached 20 and Rohit hadn’t even opened his account. He hit fours and sixes all around the park. He was very, very good and aggressive. Ishan Kishan has now played three knocks where it has seemed that a big knock is loading,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“However, I don’t think the Mumbai team is looking for big knocks because this team has so much depth and destructive ability in their batting. No one in this team wishes to score hundreds. They say that they will just come and hit, and hit so much that the opposing team gets scared,” the former India opener added.
Chopra hailed Suryakumar Yadav for his blistering knock. Yadav scored 52 off just 19 balls as he played at the top of his game.
“Rohit Sharma got out. The catch Reece Topley took, seemed like it was the only way he could have gotten out. It didn’t seem like Ishan Kishan would get out but he too got out. Then came Suryakumar Yadav – what a player he is,” he observed.
“We have seen a lot of incredible batting in this tournament, from youngsters or Nicholas Pooran, but when Suryakumar Yadav hits, he hits differently. He reached his fifty off 17 balls and ultimately got out while hitting, but it didn’t matter to him. Hardik Pandya – 21 runs off six balls. Tilak Varma felt he didn’t enjoy it as he hit at a strike rate of 160.00,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Mumbai Indians will next take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.
