Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns in match number 53 of the ongoing IPL 2024 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday, May 5. Ahead of this encounter, Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) met on May 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium where the tourists won the match by 7 wickets.
Now PBKS will look to maintain their winning streak in the ongoing IPL 2024 and CSK’s weakness with the new ball will help the hosts get an early grip on Sunday’s match at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
Ahead of the PBKS vs CSK clash, former India batsman and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has identified Jonny Bairstow as a player to watch out for in Dharamshala. He highlighted CSK’s concerns over the new ball, which is why PBKS batsman Bairstow will be his first player to bat in the game.
Jonny Bairstow will exploit CSK’s weakness with the new ball: Aakash Chopra
With CSK With Chopra struggling due to injuries and unavailability of key bowlers like Deepak Chahar and Mustafizur Rahman, he believes there is a chance for emerging talents like Mukesh Choudhary to make an impact with the ball.
Chopra is not in favor of CSK sending Shardul Thakur with the new ball given his recent struggles, suggesting the defending champions need to explore other options for a comeback in the ongoing IPL 2024.
Well, the commentator believes that the conditions at the HPCA Stadium would suit Bairstow’s aggressive style of play and he can ridicule the CSK bowlers. Chopra stressed that Bairstow’s powerful batting skills in a small field and a good pitch with decent bounce could be crucial to the outcome of the PBKS vs CSK IPL 2024 match.
It is noteworthy that Bairstow is the second highest run-scorer in PBKS this season after Shashank Singh (288). He has scored 250 runs in 8 games so far in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 165.56.
Jonny Bairstow will be my first man to watch out for: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “The first player to focus on is Jonny Bairstow. He hits extremely well. From the perspective of the Chennai Super Kings, the new ball is currently a cause for concern. (Stephen) Fleming said Deepak Chahar’s injury doesn’t look good. Tushar Deshpande did not play in the last game. Mustafizur (Rahman) is currently unavailable.”
Chopra added: “You might see Mukesh Choudhary playing because Shardul Thakur looked very ordinary while bowling with the new ball. (Matheesha) Pathirana is not bowling with the new ball. So Jonny Bairstow will be the first man I have to watch out for because he has power and this ground will suit him. It is a small course with good pitch and good bounce. The ball will go far.”
In the end, Chopra said that Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh would also be his players to watch out for against CSK in Dharamshala. Chopra also praised their intelligence, strong arm strength and excellent batting technique, saying they had the potential to impact the game.