IPL 2021: Aiden Markram Should Have Taken The Strike Back In The Final Over, Says Virender Sehwag

Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag said that Aiden Markram should have asked for the strike in the final over against Rajasthan Royals.

Markram scored 26 runs from 20 balls and looked comfortably settled down the crease in the last over.

Aiden Markram is an international player and a senior player: Virender Sehwag

Punjab just needed four runs to win in the final six balls but Royals youngster Kartik Tyagi denied them victory as he conceded only 1 run and picked the wickets of Pooran and Deepak Hooda.

Sehwag felt the South African batsman should have taken the strike and finished the game.

“He’s not out on 26 and didn’t play a single ball in the last over. He’s an international player, a senior player, it was his right to reach out to the non-striker batsman and say that he has to run [to rotate strike] no matter where the ball goes. You should have taken the strike back because you have already played 20 deliveries. I believe that’s another mistake,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz. 

Mayank Agarwal should be the one to finish matches for Punjab: Virender Sehwag

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal’s opening stand of 120 runs set the tone for Punjab’s chase of 186 with Pooran and Markram promising to finish the game.

Punjab needed eight runs off 12 balls with Mustafizur Rahman and Tyagi bowling some great spells, in the end, to turn the tables completely in their team’s favour.

Sehwag felt that Mayank and Rahul should take up the responsibility to finish the games just like Ruturaj Gaikwad did against Mumbai Indians.

“Singling out the player for defeat would be a bit difficult for this match. I would say that luck didn’t favor them but still if we have to pick someone, it should be Mayank Agarwal. If you are in form and scoring runs then you should finish the game and not leave it on anyone else… I always talk about Ruturaj (Gaikwad), he scored 88 not out, played 20 overs, even played the last ball and hit a six which probably won the game for CSK,” Sehwag said. 

“Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul should do the same because that is the responsibility of the top-3. The new batsman doesn’t know much about the pitch or how to play on it but you are there for 40-50 balls. The team shouldn’t lose like this. If it was for Chris Gayle, I guarantee that if he had scored 50-60, he wouldn’t have let PBKS lose. He would have won the game for them,” he added. 

Punjab Kings are in the seventh position on the points table with six points.

Also Read: IPL 2021: The Defeat Shows We Haven’t Learned From Our Mistakes – KL Rahul Dejected With PBKS Batsmen