Kolkata: the former India Cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul for his slow batting IPL The Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Eden Gardens said that there is no point in having “batting depth” when it is not used in an important game.
Chasing a mountain of runs, Rahul’s side fell 14 runs short of 207 runs set by RCB, largely built on a scintillating knock played by Rajat Patidar (112 not out off 54 balls). Opener KL Rahul remained on till the end of the 19th over, scoring just 79 runs in 58 balls at a meager strike rate of 136.20.
Manjrekar, speaking on Aspencricinfo’s T20 Time: Out, said, “The thing with KR Rahul’s team is that if a batsman (KL Rahul) is inclined to bat throughout the innings then batting depth doesn’t matter. And we saw that with Punjab Kings too… I used to feel sorry for (Mumbai Indians) Kieron Pollard, he used to come and take about 6 or 8 balls to play. ,
Manjrekar said that Rahul should have given up his wicket in the 12th or 13th over to give the command to players like Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis and West Indies’ Evin Lewis to chase down the target of 207 runs.
“So you know all those batsmen… (Krunal) Pandya, (Marcus) Stoinis and Evin Lewis; Had KL Rahul got out around the 12th or 13th over, the same score he would have come a little bit more in the game and I am sure he will win more matches like this. We don’t know if that will happen or not, but it seems like a more concrete approach,” Manjrekar said.
“So the depth is needed; Depth is good provided everyone goes out with each ball to get the most. But if there is a batsman who bats 19 overs in an innings… KL Rahul’s 19 overs in that kind of gear was going to be difficult,” Manjrekar said.
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