Aakash Chopra criticised KL Rahul’s slow batting strategy after the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League 2023. On Monday, April 10, in Bengaluru, RCB was asked to bat first, and they promptly set a mammoth 213-run target for LSG. Even though Rahul scored 18 runs cautiously off 20 balls, the visiting team still managed to win by one wicket in the final over. Mr Chopra was startled by KL Rahul’s batting strategy during an analysis vide
He posted on YouTube about the Lucknow Super Giants’ chase:
“It seemed I was playing because KL Rahul was playing at a run-a-ball. Even when wickets were falling, a player of KL Rahul’s level should have been able to score. Rahul’s bat is not hitting much this year, and if it fails to perform on this ground, it certainly won’t be successful in Lucknow, where the pitches are not good.”
“Marcus Stoinis came and hit hard. The ten crore rupees Lucknow spent on this player in the auction were noteworthy. Everyone was confused about why so much money had been invested in him, but he finally paid up. He hit the ball quite well.”
After four overs, LSG was down to 23/3, but Stoinis hit 65 runs off of just 30 balls that helped pull them back. He and KL Rahul partnered with 76 runs for the 4th wicket before Shahbaz Ahmed caught him at the deep point off Karn Sharma’s delivery.
KL Rahul got out immediately following Marcus Stoinis: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra praising Nicholas Pooran for playing a defiant knock in LSG’s run chase, said
“When Marcus Stoinis was out, and Rahul got out immediately following him, it seemed LSG are gone. But Nicholas Pooran arrived on the pitch, launched the balls into faraway places and switched on the flight mode. In only 15 balls, he sets a new record for the fastest 50 in this season.”
“Ayush Badoni – how brilliantly he played was admirable. He entered the game as the match’s Impact Player and delivered a crucial knock. Nicholas Pooran was dismissed when attempting to hit a six off Siraj’s full-toss delivery. Before getting out of hit-wicket, he hit a four and a six off Wayne Parnell’s bowling.”
Chopra concluded by pointing out that despite all odds, LSG was able to pull off a victory in the end, citing “The need for an extra fielder in the final over due to a slow overrate. It was necessary to score one run off the final delivery. There was too much suspense. At the non-striker’s end, a run-out opportunity was squandered. Then Dinesh Karthik dropped the ball, and Lucknow won the game with a wicket to spare.
With three wickets remaining, LSG only needed five runs from the final over. Despite hitting four runs off the first five balls, LSG lost two wickets.
While attempting to run out Ravi Bishnoi at the non-striker’s end, Harshal Patel missed the stumps because he backed up too early on the final ball of the 2nd innings. Also, Dinesh Karthik dropped the ball behind the wickets, allowing Avesh Khan and Bishnoi to run a bye to score the winning runs for their team.