Lucknow Super Giants were in for a shocker on Saturday in their game against Gujarat Titans as they failed to chase down 136 runs at their home ground. A slow pitch was on offer yet again in Lucknow but the home team seemed well on course in the chase with eight wickets in hand in the last five overs. Perhaps, they needed only 30 runs with KL Rahul batting well in the middle. But they botched up a straightforward chase scoring only 23 runs for the loss of six wickets. Gujarat Titans bowled extremely well during this period but according to former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, it was some 'brainless' batting from LSG.
Prasad has been taking digs at KL Rahul over the last few months over the latter's form in international cricket. While he didn't take Rahul's name in his tweet, the reference Punjab's similar losses in IPL 2020 made things clear for the fans. Rahul was yet again at the centrestage of the action as he was batting on 58 off 45 balls going into the last five overs. But he mustered only 10 runs off next 16 balls playing a part in team's baffling batting.
Rahul got out in the final over which Mohit Sharma bowled even as LSG went down by seven runs. While Prasad called it a baffling batting, he also lauded GT skipper Hardik Pandya for his smart captaincy. "Bottling a run chase when 30 needed of 35 balls with 9 wickets in hand requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on few ocassions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Guj were with ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lko," Prasad's tweet read.
"I don't know how it happened, but it has happened. I can't put a finger on where it went wrong, but we lost 2 points today, this is cricket. I thought we were brilliant with the ball, 135 was 10 runs under par, the bowling was exceptional, we started well with the bat, but these things happen, we'll have to take it on the chin. But still a long way to go, 8 points off 7 games, we were on the wrong side of the result today.
"We were well ahead in the game and I wasn't really trying to bat deep, I still wanted to play my shots, take on the bowlers, but they bowled well in that 2-3 over period, by Noor and Jayant, we perhaps should have taken a few more chances with wickets in hand, they bowled decently, but I think we missed out on some boundary opportunities, the pressure got to us in the last 3-4 overs, we played well until then. They did bowl well though," Rahul said after the loss
