IPL 2023: ‘Seemed like Shikhar Dhawan was playing hero’s brother’s role’ – Aakash Chopra lauds Prabhsimran Sin

Chopra has lauded the hero-like innings of Dhawan’s opening partner Prabhsimran Singh who scored 60 runs off just 34 balls at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. The knock consisted of seven fours and three sixes and helped Punjab accumulate 63 runs in the powerplay.

The 22-year-old brought up his maiden IPL fifty in just 28 balls. The right-hand batter fired Punjab to 90 in just 9.3 overs. With him going berserk in the middle, Dhawan played the second fiddle at the start of Punjab’s innings.

“Rajasthan Royals opted to bowl after winning the toss. When they came to bowl – Prabhsimran, how well he hit. He has been fantastic both times he has batted. Last time he scored all 23 runs before he got out and here also it seemed Shikhar Dhawan was playing the hero’s brother’s role,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“He (Dhawan) was going at a run-a-ball and the other boy was actually flying. Shikhar Dhawan changed gears as soon as Prabhsimran left. No one was taking the name of stopping, whether it was Jitesh Sharma or Shahrukh Khan. They kept going and reached 197 overall, which I felt was less,” he added.

Dhawan increased the tempo towards the end and smashed unbeaten 86 off 56 (9 fours and 3 sixes) to help Punjab post 197/4 in 20 overs.

Aakash Chopra lauds Nathan Ellis – ‘The ball was like a wet bar of soap’

Further, the former India opener also lauded Nathan Ellis for picking four wickets to help PBKS defend the 198-run target by five runs. He reckoned that the ball was slippery like a wet bar of soap due to the dew at the ground but the Australian quick bowled with great control.

He added that once Kagiso Rabada is available for selection, it will now be a selection headache for the Shikhar Dhawan-led side.

“The Player of the Match in my opinion was Nathan Ellis. The ball was like a wet bar of soap, where everyone got hit a lot on a high-scoring ground and the bowlers were struggling. There this bowler came and picked up four wickets, which included Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Devdutt Padikkal’s wickets.

“I would say well done Nathan Ellis. He has done so well that when Kagiso Rabada becomes available, you will feel whether you should play him or not because this guy is doing so well and you cannot leave out any overseas batter in any case. So what should you do? That’s their problem, not yours or mine,” he said.