IPL 2020: Here’s What Aakash Chopra Thinks Will help Rajasthan Royals Beat In-Form Kings XI Punjab Tonight

Former India opener Akaash Chopra reckons that if Rajasthan Royals manage to stop Chris Gayle from scoring, they will be able to beat Kings XI Punjab in a crucial IPL match tonight.

Since Gayle has made KXIP playing XI, they haven’t lost a match which has helped them smash their way back into playoffs reckoning. A victory against RR will all but confirm their spot but a defeat will mean their chances are dependent on other results.

In five innings so far, Gayle has made 177 runs including two half-centuries.

“Kings XI Punjab’s fortunes in this tournament have completely changed since the arrival of Christopher Henry Gayle,” Star Sports’ show Game Plan. “They haven’t really lost a game since he’s been there, so now Rajasthan Royals, they need to win and for that to happen, they will have to figure out a game plan to stop Gayle and say, and not just one, they might need a couple of them because when he gets going, of course, he’s a tornado, who just blows away the opposition.”

And right-arm pacer Jofra Archer, who has been RR’s consistent performer this year, will be the key.

“So, I would say you do have Jofra Archer and he’s got pace, bowl bouncers, bowl yorkers, just bowl those wicket-taking balls to Gayle and play with his ego a little bit – just ask those tough questions, make him get out of his comfort zone and that’s your game plan number one, that’s what Jofra should do. But you don’t really have another fast-bowler of the same repute or pace, so I would say Jofra from one end and if you can get your leggies to come and bowl wide to him,” Chopra said.

“If you are bowling to him within the stumps, he’s going to dispatch and deposit them outside the ground with a lot of ease, just make them bowl outside off and a lot of googlies, even if it becomes predictable. Just keep bowling googlies outside off and force him to go over covers and long-off,” he added.