Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra blamed Ravindra Jadeja after Chennai Super Kings suffered a two-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Saturday.
Chopra feels the 18th over of the CSK innings was the game-changer when leg-spinner Suyash Sharma conceded only six runs off against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja.
Subsequently, Yash Dayal was able to defend 15 runs off the final over as he conceded 12 runs despite bowling a waist-high no-ball.
Jadeja scored an unbeaten knock of 77 runs off 45 balls but could not get his team over the line in a nail-biting finish.
“Jadeja was sent up the order. He batted very well at the start, but the buck must stop with Ravindra Jadeja. If this chase didn’t happen, and if you have to look towards someone solely, of course, the team wins and loses, but I thought Jadeja had to finish it off,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“When Suyash Sharma came, it shouldn’t have been a six-run over. At least one six or four should have been hit. Of course, you want MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube to score runs, but you were set. You had played 40-45 balls. How will it work out if you miss full tosses? The first 55-60 runs were very good, but the inability to finish is a problem,” he added.
On the other hand, the renowned commentator said in-form Dewald Brevis got a poor call from the umpire and by the time he asked for the review, the allotted time had passed.
“Was he out? No, he wasn’t. It was a bad umpiring decision. The ball was missing by a huge margin. So the umpire got it completely wrong. The problem is that you and I didn’t see the timer because it wasn’t on our screens, but the timer was there on the big screen. The timer had started as soon as the finger went up,” he said (7:05) in the same video.
“Brevis was taking runs. He ran not one but two runs. 18 to 20 seconds had passed by the time you ran two runs. Then you asked for a review. The time had passed long back. People are saying the umpire should have told. The umpire doesn’t have to tell,” Chopra observed.
Brevis was dismissed for a golden duck by his compatriot Lungi Ngidi. Chennai Super Kings will next take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday.
