According to the Former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra has blamed the team selection of Kings XI Punjab for their defeat to Mumbai Indians.
Chopra said KXIP are persisting with New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham who neither bowls within the powerplay. Neesham does not even bat in the top 4 said, Akash Chopra.
“They play Neesham, a foreign fast bowler, who neither bowls within the powerplay nor within the death overs. He is neither an excellent finisher nor an enormous batsman who bats within the top four or five. So why is Kings XI Punjab playing him? You are playing a player who isn’t really a match-winner,” Chopra said on his Youtube channel.
The former India opener who is currently in UAE working as a commentator within the IPL 2020, said KXIP should include Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman within the playing XI.
“First thing is that Kings XI Punjab isn’t playing the proper team. Honestly, they’re the sole team within the world where Mujeeb isn’t ready to make it to the playing XI after being within the squad,” Chopra said.
KXIP started off well with the ball but let the sport slip away within the death overs when Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya really stuck into them. Chopra said finishing off Cottrell early wasn’t an honest idea.
“They bowled Sheldon Cottrell at the beginning and finished his quota of overs before the 15th over. He believes that Cottrell should bowl at the death to provide depth to the KXIP bowling attack. At last, they are only left with Jimmy Neesham and Krishnappa Gowtham with Mohammed Shami.
“Shami isn’t India’s gun death bowler then they provide the 20th over to Gowtham, an off-spinner within the 20th over. He further added that such an over is not even given to the greatest off-spinners which includes the likes of Harbhajan, Ashwin or even Sunil Narine.