Former India cricketer turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that the Punjab Kings doesn’t have the proper seam-bowling department despite having signed Nathan Ellis as a replacement pacer as well. The Punjab Kings won’t get the service of their key players – Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, for the rest of IPL 2021. They have named Nathan Ellis as one of their replacement and are searching for another reinforcement as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “Punjab have signed Nathan Ellis because Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, their huge investments as they had spent 20-odd crores on them itself, are both not coming. You are still searching for answers, you don’t have answers to every question that has come before you.”
He continued: “They got this information very late. Nathan Ellis has decent numbers – he has been doing alright in the BBL. He made his debut recently and took a hat-trick as well, so he has been good and has done well and will get a chance here now.”
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However, Ellis claimed a five-wicket haul in the two T20Is he played during Australia’s recent tour of Bangladesh. He followed up his 3/34 on debut, which also included a hat-trick, with figures of 2/16 in the next match as well. Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra also highlighted that the Punjab Kings should be looking to sign another overseas player as well.
He further added: “To be fair, Punjab is still looking for another one because you do not have too many fast bowlers. They had great expectations from Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith.”
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However, he also acknowledged that the Punjab Kings have good Indian pace bowlers with the likes of Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. Notably, Chris Jordan is the other overseas pacer in the Punjab Kings team but he doesn’t have genuine pace and struggles at times in conditions that do not assist swing and seam movement as well.
“Shami is definitely there and Arshdeep is there along with him. But they are still lacking a genuine overseas bowler. They have kept Ellis but will be looking for more,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
