Former India cricketer turned famous commentator Aakash Chopra has said that the absence of the speedster Pat Cummins for the rest of Indian Premier League 2021 would not affect the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team much as well. However, Cummins has reportedly decided not to return for the rest of IPL 2021 as well.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra stated that Pat Cummins’ absence might not be a big deal for KKR if the pace bowler Lockie Ferguson is available, as he is arguably one of the best in the business.
“KKR already have Lockie Ferguson. And in my opinion, if you have to pick one of them just as a T20 bowler, I will pick Lockie Ferguson ahead of him (Cummins). If Lockie is available and plays, it is absolutely fine. I don’t think they are going to miss Pat Cummins the bowler,” said Chopra.
Meanwhile, the veteran has said that Pat Cummins has become an average over the last two seasons of the cash-rich IPL as well. But, he admitted that Pat Cummins has excelled as a batsman, an area where Ferguson might not be fit well.
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“His (Cummins’) performance has not been great as a bowler. If we talk about last year, he took just 12 wickets in 14 matches, and that was in the UAE, where the remaining matches will be played. The economy was okay, less than eight. This year also, he took only nine wickets in seven matches, and he was more expensive as well, almost nine runs per over,” added Chopra.
“As a batsman, his performance has been decent. It was not that good in the UAE; he did hit a fifty but had an average of twenty. This time he has hit a fifty, but the average is 31, and he has a strike rate of 166,” again shared the former cricketer.
On the other hand, Aakash Chopra also shared that Mark Wood could replace Pat Cummins in the KKR line-up, saying: “It could be Mark Wood. He is up there in my mind. He bowls very well; last time he had made himself unavailable, but if this time he makes himself available, then Mark Wood will be my option for the Kolkata Knight Riders.”
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Notably, Mark Wood had earlier withdrawn from the IPL 2021 to manage his workload. As the T20 World Cup and the Ashes this year scheduled to take place after the IPL, it is unlikely the pacer will make himself available for the T20 league as well.
