KL Rahul was the top-scorer for LSG in the first innings with 76 in 48 balls vs RR. (Sportzpics)
LSG’s skipper, KL Rahul revealed that the plan of playing Ravi Bishnoi so late was to tackle the Caribbean duo of Shimron Hetmeyer and Rovman Powell.
It was not the ideal night for KL Rahul and the Lucknow Super Giants as they suffered their fourth defeat of the season with Rajasthan Royals registering their eighth win in nine games by beating LSG by seven wickets and an over to spare at the Ekana Sports City, Lucknow.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Rahul highlighted that his side was short on about 20 runs in the first innings despite setting a target of 197. He also pointed out that the set batters should have gone on to register a big total, thus elevating the team total.
“We left about 20 runs out there. We did not get off to an ideal start but with the partnership myself and Hooda had, it is more crucial for the set batters to convert the fifties or sixties into hundreds. They bowled well in the last couple of overs. We were in a good position and should have capitalised more, and got 20-25 runs more,” said the LSG skipper.
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The 32-year-old also is aware of the fact that his side was quite low in terms of the number of sixes hit. LSG only hit 2 maximums in comparison to RR’s nine sixes in their respective innings.
The captain added, “It has become clearer that the team that hits more sixes wins the game. The ball has been travelling and it has been hard on them (the bowlers). Not much chat about hitting sixes.
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However, Rahul clarified that his side does practice their power-hitting. He said,” Before the game, the ball will be flying all over the place and everyone loves their range hitting. Every team does it and we are no different. We try to clear the boundaries and get used to hitting big sixes. In our team, the big hitters are Stoinis and Pooran, and we rely on them to clear these big boundaries. The other guys, like us, try to time it and pick our spots. I felt hitting fours and picking up twos was better”.
One of the plans that backfired on the home side was holding back their main leg-spinner, Ravi Bishnoi who was introduced into the attack in the 16th over where he conceded 16 runs in what is his only over in the innings.
“We were hoping to use Bishnoi in the latter half. They kept putting us under pressure, and could not find a time to bring him on and by the time I brought him on, it was late. The plan was to keep him Bishnoi for late and keep him for when Rovman and Hetmyer come out to bat,” revealed LSG’s KL Rahul.
But the game never went as far as LSG expected as the pair of Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel registered a century-partnership to get RR over the line and maintain their undefeated record at home.
