Former Indian cricket team batter Aakash Chopra criticised Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer for ‘underutilising’ Yuzvendra Chahal during the IPL 2026 encounter against Chennai Super Kings on Friday. Chahal bowled quite well as he conceded 21 runs in his three overs and took one wicket. However, Iyer still decided to not bowl him for the fourth over and the veteran cricketer was substituted out for Priyansh Arya in the 18th over. While the decision could have been taken in order to counter the threat presented by Shivam Dube, Chopra countered the point with an example of his own.
“How did the only bowler who didn’t concede a single boundary not finish his quota of overs? The only spinner. The man is Yuzi Chahal. Yes, Dube was there. But didn’t (Ravindra) Jadeja dismiss him in Guwahati? 17 overs of pace meant one extra fielder inside the circle for the last 2 overs,” Chopra posted on X (formerly Twitter).
How did the only bowler who didn’t concede a single boundary not finish his quota of overs? The only spinner. The man is Yuzi Chahal.
Yes, Dube was there. But didn’t Jadeja dismiss him in Guwahati? 17 overs of pace meant one extra fielder inside the circle for the last 2 overs.…
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 3, 2026
However, the decision did not hurt Punjab Kings as they climbed to the top of the IPL table with a five-wicket win.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer credited his side’s explosive start and collective batting effort for chasing down a 200-plus total against Chennai Super Kings, highlighting the confidence within the group and a dressing-room mindset focused on internal standards rather than external expectations.
PBKS once again proved why they are the masters of 200-plus chases in the IPL, pulling off the feat for the ninth time as Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer dismantled the Chennai Super Kings attack. Arya set the tone with a blistering start, racing to 33 off just 9 balls as PBKS brought up their fifty in no time, while Iyer anchored the chase with a calm yet commanding knock, accelerating from 4 off 5 to a 26-ball fifty.
“Obviously, there is a worry before getting onto the field. But the way we started today, I think it was an exceptional start. Priyansh and Prabh are doing the job at the start and setting the bench for us to go inside. I feel that the way they have been batting for years now stabilises the rhythm for us. I am glad that everyone is getting to bat in the first two games. It gives us confidence. Whenever we are stuck in a pressure situation, people know how to go about it. It is not planned. But we just decided inside the dressing room that we want to impress each other rather than anyone outside. A certain sort of clarity as well,” said Iyer after the match.
(With IANS inputs)
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