IPL 2022: We couldn’t execute our bowling plans in the end – KL Rahul

Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul feels his bowlers couldn’t execute their plans in the death overs against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai after they lost by three runs on Sunday. RR posted a par score of 165 runs after KL Rahul won the toss and decided to bowl first.

In fact, Lucknow Super Giants were able to put their noses in front as RR was left reeling at 67-4 after 10 overs. However, Shimron Hetmyer and Ravichandran Ashwin got their team back into the contest as they added 68 runs before the latter became the first player in the IPL history to retire out.

Shimron Hetmyer was at his best as he scored 59 runs from 36 balls with the help of one-four and six sixes as LSG couldn’t put a lid on the scoring rate. Jason Holder was taken for plenty as he conceded 50 runs in his quota of four overs.

On the other hand, LSG was left bamboozled by Trent Boult as he dismissed KL Rahul with a fine inswinging delivery from around the wicket and then also accounted for Krishnappa Gowtham. Yuzvendra Chahal then bowled a superb spell for RR as he scalped four wickets and LSG was left reeling at 102-7.

However, Marcus Stoinis, playing his first match for the franchise, gave a glimmer of hope to LSG, as he took 19 runs in the penultimate over, bowled by Prasidh Krishna. But Kuldeep Sen, making his IPL debut, impressed as he held his nerve against the Australian.

KL Rahul said in the post-match presentation, I didn’t see it (the ball that got him from Boult), if I did I could have done something about it. Have to give it to him. Was a good ball. We have a good team, and have enough options with bat and ball. Even when we were 20-odd for three, we knew we had a chance. Obviously, today we needed one good partnership which we never got going. At the end, it was excellent from Stoinis to get it close and to do it in his first game of the season will give him confidence. It was always a plan (to hold Stoinis back), we know how dangerous he can be in the last five overs.”

He added, “As I said, we have a lot of all-rounders, so many options and so we could shuffle the batting order a bit. We like to be a bit unpredictable a bit. This kind of total can be a bit tricky at times, plan was to throw the bowlers off their lengths a bit but didn’t happen. But we’re a side that would continue to try being unpredictable in the coming games too. We couldn’t execute our plans at the end, the yorkers and other plans. If you miss your plans, batters these days will put you in trouble. We’ll try to work harder and handle the pressure better. One bad game won’t change things, will be good learning for us.”

Lucknow Super Giants will next face Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Saturday.