CSK vs GT: "He Is Neither Getting Him To Bat Nor Bowl" - Aakash Chopra Feels MS Dhoni Underutilized Moeen Ali In The IPL 2023

Last Update on: May 28th, 2023 at 12:17 pm

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said all-rounder Moeen Ali was underutilised in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Aakash Chopra pointed out that MS Dhoni didn’t use Moeen Ali properly with both the bat and ball in the tournament so far.

Moeen Ali scored 124 runs in 10 innings at a below-par average of 17.71 and a strike rate of 136.3. The left-handed batter batted most of the matches lower down the order in the IPL 2023. The off-spinner picked up nine wickets in the 26 overs he bowled in the tournament at an economy rate of 7.50.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra predicted that Moeen Ali could perform well in the final match, as Jadeja can’t bowl four tight overs on the batting surface in Ahmedabad.

“Captain Dhoni is not using him (Moeen) at all. He is neither getting him to bat nor bowl. He has thought something about him. This could be his night. Jadeja might come good with the bat but his bowling might not work here because the pitch is going to be favorable for batting,” Aakash Chopra said.

I Feel He Can Score Runs Here – Aakash Chopra

The former Indian opener believes that Hardik Pandya could target Shivam Dube with his two wrist spinners. Chopra hoped that Ajinkya Rahane could continue his form in away conditions.

“Dube will have slight problems against spin. He got dismissed by Noor Ahmad in the last match as well. Now also they will try to trap him not with fast bowling but with spin bowling,” he added.

Also read: IPL 2023: Shubman Gill Will Have Big Opportunity – Sunil Gavaskar On GT Youngster Shattering Virat Kohli’s 2016 Record

“Ajinkya Rahane has not played well in Chennai. He has scored more runs as soon as he has gone out of Chennai. He has come away again and I feel he can score runs here. Ajinkya Rahane could be that bank at No. 3,” he continued.

Rahane scored 299 runs in 10 innings with an average of 33.22 and an impressive strike rate of 169.89. The right-handed batter failed to reach the 25-run mark in his last five innings, where four matches were played at the CSK home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Also read: IPL 2023: It Is Going To Be So Hard For Gujarat Titans To Defend The Title – Stephen Fleming Confident About CSK’s Chances Against GT

They Are Slightly Dependent On Their Openers – Aakash Chopra

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that Mohammed Shami had a good record against inform batter, Devon Conway, as he dismissed him three times in 12 balls, conceding only 5 runs.

“They have a lot of Indian batting but they are slightly dependent on their openers. Their two openers play well. How well Ruturaj Gaikwad batted the last time they played here – he missed his century but batted at a different level,” he added.

Also read: IPL 2023: The Way Shubman Gill Is Batting, I Feel Next In Line Is MS Dhoni – EX-Indian Cricketer Warns CSK Ahead Of Grand Finale

“Devon Conway got out that day and he scored 40 the last time the two teams met at Chepauk but it was a slow 40, didn’t look his fluent best. So I feel it will be a challenge. Mohammad Shami will go around the stumps and try to bring the ball in,” he added.

The four-time IPL champion Chennai Super Kings will lock horns with the Hardik Pandya-led team in the final match of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, May 28.