Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s on-field decisions during the side's IPL 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings on Friday at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Though Punjab Kings clinched victory in the high-scoring encounter, Chopra felt that spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was not utilised to his full potential.
Chahal performed well, delivering an economical spell, leaking 21 runs in his three overs while also picking up a wicket. Despite his effectiveness, Iyer chose not to complete Chahal’s quota of four overs. Instead, the leg-spinner was substituted out in the 18th over for Priyansh Arya.
“How did the only bowler who didn’t concede a single boundary not finish his quota of overs?. The only spinner. The man is Yuzi Chahal. Yes, Dube was there. But didn’t (Ravindra) Jadeja dismiss him in Guwahati? 17 overs of pace meant one extra fielder inside the circle for the last 2 overs," Chopra stated on X.
One possible explanation for the decision was the presence of the hard-hitting Shivam Dube at the crease, who is known to adopt an aggressive approach against spin. However, Chopra disagreed with the cautious approach, suggesting that experienced bowlers like Chahal should be trusted in pressure situations.
Meanwhile, in the end, the decision did not cost Punjab Kings as they successfully chased down a challenging target of 210, securing a five-wicket win and climbing to the top of the IPL standings. In the batting department, Shreyas Iyer was the standout performer for the side, cracking a match-winning half-century. Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly and Priyansh Arya also made much-needed contributions, scoring 43, 36 and 39, respectively.