IPL 2021: Aakash Chopra picks Hardik Pandya in Flop XI – Former Indian batsmen turned commentator Aakash Chopra has picked his “Flop XI” of IPL 2021, with many key Indian names including Hardik Pandya featuring in the side. The tournament was viewed as a preparation ground for the upcoming T20 World Cup, but Pandya among many struggled to get going, with the Mumbai Indians star struggling with a series of injuries.
IPL 2021: Hardik Pandya chosen in IPL 2021’s Flop XI by Aakash Chopra, will the MI star turn his form around in the T20 World Cup?
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra made a list of players who underperformed in comparison to their expectations, making his underperforming XI of the season. The commentator picked Liam Livingstone and Nicholas Pooran are openers, with both overseas players struggling to make the desired impact for Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings respectively.
Aakash Chopra then proceeded to pick Suresh Raina and Eoin Morgan in the line-up, before adding the likes of Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag and Krunal Pandya to the XI. Speaking of Hardik’s inclusion, the former opener simply summed it up by saying, “There are much more expectations of Hardik, he is a much better player than this.”
IPL 2021: Hardik Pandya chosen in IPL 2021’s Flop XI by Aakash Chopra, will the MI star turn his form around in the T20 World Cup?
Hardik Pandya managed just 127 runs in 12 games with the bat, while did not bowl a single delivery in IPL 2021. His strike rate of 113.39 and average of 14 fell way below expectations as defending champions Mumbai Indian crashed out of the league stage. Such has been Pandya’s form that the BCCI did contemplate bringing in a replacement, and added Shardul Thakur to the T20 World Cup squad as an option should the Mumbai Indians star continue to struggle with form and fitness.
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Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra rounded of his team by picking two RCB stars in Dan Christian and Kyle Jamieson, suggesting that the latter picked up only nine wickets and was dropped from the team in the latter stages of the tournament. He then picked two other Indian T20 World Cup squad members in Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Ashwin had an ordinary tournament with only seven wickets in 13 matches while Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up 11 wickets at an average of 55.8.
