April 19 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Former Indian batter and currently a renowned commentator, Aakash Chopra looked discontented over the Punjab Kings’ decision not to send Shashank Singh up the batting order in their chase against the Mumbai Indians which they went on to lose.
The five-time IPL champions set a 193-run target for the hosts in Mullanpur on Thursday. In reply, the Punjab Kings looked down and out at 49/5 by the end of the seventh over. However, fighting knocks from Shashank Singh (41 off 25 balls) and Ashutosh Sharma (61 off 28 balls) kept their team’s hopes alive in the chase. Despite the fightback, the 2014 runner-ups fell short by 9 runs after getting bowled out for 183.
Aakash Chopra, on his YouTube channel, cited how the team’s management lacked faith in youngsters. The former Indian batter was dissatisfied with Shashank Singh’s position in the batting order as he came out to bat with half of the team back in the hut for not many runs on the board.
“When your team is 14/4, it seems like the match can’t be won because you are too far behind, and your four main players’, whom you consider your main players, innings’ have ended. Shashank comes in such a situation and Jitesh (Sharma) was there with him.”
The former India opener asked why Shashank wasn’t promoted up the order. He also highlighted the right-hander’s experience in red-ball cricket, adding that he is not just a finisher but a proper batter.
“I would want to say one thing about Shashank. The way he is batting, how did you decide that he is your finisher only, that even though he is batting well, you won’t send him up the order? What is the point? Someone who is batting well and has the temperament is not a finisher only. He plays red-ball cricket and is an experienced player,” he said.
Shashank Singh has been the highest scorer for the Punjab Kings this year with 187 runs from seven matches with one fifty to his name. While the record may not do justice to his current form, the right-hander has been very consistent with his crucial cameos towards the end of the innings.