'What is happening to everyone whose name has come in the Indian team?'

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over the inconsistent performances of Indian players selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube being the latest to face scrutiny after a disappointing outing against Punjab Kings.

Dube's struggles were highlighted as he fell for a first-ball duck during CSK's clash against Punjab Kings, where the former set a below-par target of 168. Despite CSK eventually clinching victory by 28 runs in a low-scoring affair in Dharamsala, Dube's failure added to the ongoing trend of Indian players' lean runs.

Reflecting on Dube's performance, Chopra noted on his Youtube channel, "What is happening to everyone whose name has come in the Indian team? Shivam Dube has had two golden ducks, both against the same team and both against spinners, Harpreet Brar once and Rahul Chahar the second time."

Chopra further analyzed the CSK innings, acknowledging Ravindra Jadeja's contribution but emphasizing the lack of momentum in their batting display.

"After 60 for one in six overs, wickets kept falling at regular intervals, whether it was Daryl Mitchell, who fell prey to Harshal (Patel), or Moeen Ali, who fell prey to Sam Curran. Ravindra Jadeja stood till the end but it didn't seem even once that this team had any momentum in this game," he remarked, pointing out the inability of the CSK lineup to build momentum throughout the innings.

While praising the bowling efforts, particularly by Rahul Chahar and Harshal Patel, Chopra expressed concerns over the consistency of players selected for the Indian team.

"Arshdeep also got two wickets but it's again the same story. What is happening to everyone who has been selected for India? He conceded 10 runs per over in a 167-run match," he questioned, highlighting the challenges faced by Indian contenders ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Chopra's observations underscore the importance of consistent performances by Indian players in the IPL, serving as a crucial platform for preparation for the upcoming global tournament.

1/10:IPL: Chennai Super Kings end five-match losing streak against Punjab Kings

AFP

2/10:Jadeja on-song

<p>Ravindra Jadeja put in an all-round performance to help Chennai Super Kings beat Punjab Kings by 28 runs in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.<br /></p>AFP

3/10:Jadeja stars with both bat and ball

<p>Jadeja scored 43 runs off 26 balls to anchor Chennai’s innings to 167-9 and then took 3-20 in four overs to help restrict Punjab's chase to 139-9.<br /></p>AP

4/10:A win after 1,115 days

<p>It was only Chennai’s second win in the last five games, and also ended its five-match losing streak against Punjab.<br /></p>PTI

5/10:Chahar shines

<p>Put into bat, Chennai lost Ajinkya Rahane (9) early. Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell (30) put on 57 off 32 balls for the second wicket. Wrist spinner Rahul Chahar then took 3-23 in four overs to restrict the visiting side. He dismissed Gaikwad and then big-hitting Shivam Dube for a golden duck.<br /></p>AFP

6/10:Jadeja rescue act

<p>As Sam Curran dismissed Moeen Ali for 17, Chennai were reduced to 101 for 5 in 12.4 overs. Jadeja then guided Chennai to a challenging total on a two-paced wicket. He hit three fours and two sixes, while Harshal Patel’s death spell didn’t allow excess run-scoring.<br /></p>AFP

7/10:No Dhoni show

<p>MS Dhoni batted at No. 9 — for the first time – and Harshal Patel bowled him for a golden duck.<br /></p>ANI

8/10:A shaky start

<p>In reply, Punjab’s top order crumbled. Tushar Deshpande dismissed Jonny Bairstow (7) and Rilee Rossouw for a three-ball duck in the space of four balls. Impact player Prabhsimran Singh scored 30 off 23 balls, and along with Shashank Singh’s 20-ball 27 helped rebuild the innings from 9-2.<br /></p>PTI

9/10:Bowlers rise to the occasion

<p>Jadeja didn’t allow the middle order to get away, sending back Singh as well as Curran (7). Pacer Simarjeet came on as impact sub and took 2-16 in three overs as Punjab’s chase never looked a threat. Shardul Thakur and Mitchell Santner took a wicket each. <br /></p>AFP

10/10:CSK move to third spot

<p>Chennai moved up to third with 12 points, ahead of Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad on net run-rate. Punjab’s hopes of qualification took a blow. It's eighth in the 10-team league with eight points.<br /></p>PTI

IPL: Chennai Super Kings end five-match losing streak against Punjab Kings