Former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra while questioning Delhi Capitals’ (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant’s captaincy said that veteran off-spinner R Ashwin should have completed his 4 overs in an IPL 2021 encounter against Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Chasing the target of 149 runs in their second match of IPL 14 against Delhi Capitals, RR were in a spot of bother as they lost half their side for 42 before the halfway mark.
R Ashwin used his variations to the great extent and bowled tight lines, conceding only 14 runs in his first 3 overs.
The off-spinner couldn’t complete his quota of 4 overs as skipper Rishabh Pant turned to all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who bowled 13th over and conceded 15 runs as David Miller smashed him for a hat-trick of boundaries.
While speaking to Cricbuzz, former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra expressed his disappointment over DC not giving R Ashwin his fourth over and said that when David Miller and Rahul Tewatia were at the crease they could’ve used off-spinner then.
“R Ashwin bowled just three overs. In the chase of 148-run target, there was a phase when Rajasthan Royals had lost 5 top-order batters and two left-handers – David Miller and Rahul Tewatia – were at the crease. You could have used Ashwin then,” Ashish Nehra told Cricbuzz.
Nehra said that if R Ashwin had bowled and taken one wicket when RR was six down, DC could’ve won the game.
“When Tewatia got out and Miller and Morris paired up, then you had the choice to deploy Ashwin. Royals were six down then and had Ashwin taken another on at that point of time, DC would have won the game there itself,” Ashish Nehra said.
Ashish Nehra further said that Pant should have utilized Ashwin's four overs before giving the ball to Marcus Stoinis. He explained that the required run-rate was high for RR and the batsmen on the crease weren't the best as well.
“So Rather than handing one over to Marcus Stoinis, under such circumstances, I would have preferred to go with Ashwin. If it was Riyan Parag or Sanju Samson at the crease with an asking rate was 9-10 runs per over and you didn’t give an over to R Ashwin thinking that he might get hit for 2-3 sixes, that’s a completely different thing. Before handing an over Stoinis, Ashwin should have completed his 4-over spell,” he concluded.
However, Rajasthan Royals on account of David Miller’s 62 and a superb finish by Chris Morris chased the target of 148 runs on the fourth ball of the last over and register their first win of IPL 2021.
The Sanju Samson-led franchise will next face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on 19th April while Delhi Capitals will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 18th April.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
