IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra Questions Liam Livingstone's Batting Position For Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

Aakash Chopra has scrutinized the Punjab Kings’ strategies of keeping down Liam Livingstone in their batting order in Saturday (May 7) evening’s IPL 2022 contest against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Livingstone left to bat at the fall of Jonny Bairstow’s wicket when just 32 balls were left in the Punjab Kings innings. The enormous hitting all-rounder crushed 22 runs off 14 balls before he was fortified by a Prasidh Krishna yorker.

Liam Livingstone Should Have Walked Out After Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s Dismissal: Aakash Chopra

Considering Punjab Kings’ batting exertion in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was incredulous of their utilization of Livingstone. He explained:

“Liam Livingstone should have walked out in the 11th over, this team would have scored 225 if it was his good day. If it was his bad day, then it doesn’t matter if it was in the 11th or the 18th. I think they (Punjab) messed up in their calculation.”

The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player figures Livingstone ought to have left to bat at the fall of Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s wicket. Chopra observed:

“I was waiting, a wicket fell in the 11th over, that Liam will come. Liam Livingstone doesn’t come, Mayank Agarwal comes. After that when a wicket falls, I say once again that Liam will come but he doesn’t come, Jitesh Sharma comes.”

Mayank Agarwal, who has given his place at the top order to Jonny Bairstow, emerged to bat at No. 4. The Punjab Kings captain oversaw only 15 runs off 13 balls to put his side somewhat at a serious disadvantage.

Aakash Chopra added that the Punjab Kings’ strategy of safeguarding Livingstone from Yuzvendra Chahal was additionally fruitless. He elaborated:

“You send Liam Livingstone in the end and you feel till then that you not will send him in front of Yuzi (Chahal). Till when will you escape, he had to play Yuzi’s over in the end. It was slightly beyond my understanding.”

Jitesh Sharma Was Absolutely Sensational: Aakash Chopra

Notwithstanding, the famous observer praised the group of four of Jitesh Sharma, Bairstow, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Livingstone for taking PBKS to a respectable total. Chopra said:

“Jitesh Sharma was absolutely sensational, so was Jonny Bairstow, Bhanuka also did well, Liam also hit a lot during the time he batted but if you allow him to play 34 instead of 14 balls, he can score 75 as well. You have to bat out the opposition.”

The Punjab Kings wound up with a score of 189/5 in their apportioned 20 overs. Notwithstanding, the 190-run target didn’t demonstrate enough for the Royals as Sanju Samson’s team dominated the game by six wickets with two balls in excess.

Also Read: I Wanted To Play 100 Test Matches, Face Those Fast Bowlers, And Bat For Two Days – Yuvraj Singh