Former India player Aakash Chopra has said that a ‘strategic mistake’ potentially cost the KKR a win in their IPL 2025 match against the CSK. He wondered why they didn’t include Anrich Nortje in their playing combination despite their seam bowling issues as well. However, KKR set CSK a 180-run target, and the visitors reached the target with two wickets and as many deliveries in hand.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “You are playing with weak fast bowling. You are getting Moeen Ali to bowl. He even got Devon Conway out, but you got him to bowl only two overs. You didn’t have the courage to bring him into the attack again because Dewald Brevis would hit sixes as Riyan Parag had done that. If that was playing on your mind, Nortje should have played. If Nortje had played, he would have bowled the over you gave to Vaibhav (Arora). So I feel Kolkata made a strategic mistake there.”

ALSO READ: “I did get a couple of hints” – AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli’s Test retirement

However, Aakash Chopra added that the Kolkata Knight Riders’ playoff qualification chances have become less as well.

“We know this team (CSK) is not going anywhere, but what about Kolkata? Kolkata are stuck because they can reach only till 15 points, and three teams have already reached 15 points. Punjab, Gujarat and RCB have reached there. They are already there, and Mumbai are standing on 14 and Delhi are standing on 13. So it has become difficult now. They were the defending champions for sure, but couldn’t manage the batting order properly. They couldn’t do anything properly. All but over. Outside chance, but I feel it won’t happen this time,” Aakash Chopra concluded.