Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opening pair of Sunil Narine and Phil Salt for providing a flying start to KKR in their IPL 2024 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as well.  However, Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 83 off 59 deliveries but Narine and Salt then added 86 runs in just 6.3 overs as KKR registered a
comprehensive seven-wicket win with 19 deliveries in hand as well.

While talking about the Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “When Sunil Narine opens, the template is absolutely clear – ‘Either I or you will not remain’. He plays in that fashion, tries to hit sixes. Everyone knows that you need to repeatedly bowl bouncers and yorkers, but if you don’t get success in that, just like Bengaluru didn’t get in the first six overs, he takes the match far away from your grasp,” he elaborated.

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“Phil Salt was also there with him. Phil Salt hit 18 runs in the first over itself. He was brilliant. Just to put things in context, the opposing team bowled well but Kohli played 59 balls to reach 83 and Kolkata had already scored 85 in 5.5 overs. Whether it was Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj or Yash Dayal, everyone was hit a lot,” the former India opener further added.

However, Sunil Narine smashed 47 runs off just 22 deliveries, with two fours and five sixes. Salt hit two fours and as many maximums in his
20-ball 30 as well. And, Aakash Chopra added that Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 39 off 24 balls as well. He added that it will be difficult to stop KKR if Sunil Narine continues to smash this way.

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“It seemed like it was always a foregone conclusion after that. Two wickets fell but after that, Venkatesh Iyer. I recalled – ‘Desh hai, videsh hai, charcha-e-Venkatesh hai’. I saw that form this time, where he stepped out aggressively and ran after the bowlers. I feel Gautam has given them a lot of confidence. Sunil Narine opening has Gautam Gambhir’s imprint. Andre Russell bowling at the death also has a little imprint of Gautam Gambhir. He is empowering them slightly and the same can be said about Venkatesh Iyer. He has been empowered to hit fours and sixes,” Aakash Chopra concluded.