LSG wicketkeeper and captain KL Rahul during the IPL match against KKR at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 14, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul on Sunday said panic has not set within his team after two successive defeats, but stressed on the need to have some tough conversations within the group.
LSG went down by eight wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders here, as the side is now placed fifth on the points table with six points from as many matches.
“Not panicking, but you can’t put your feet up and hope results will go your way. We have to figure out where you are going wrong. We will have a few difficult conversations,” said Rahul during the post-match presentation.
“The last couple of games, we have not been able to get more than 160, and that is something to think about, and see how we can get to the 180-200 run mark.” Being asked to bat first, LSG were limited to 161 and KKR chased down the target in just 15.4 overs.
Analysing their batting, Rahul rued losing too many wickets upfront.
“I think it was the other way round. The ball started nipping around a lot more after the lights came on. I can’t say we played bad shots, but the shots we played, we did not execute well,” he offered.
“We kept losing wickets in bunches, and we left about 30 runs out there. If we kept wickets in our hand and had one of our top three-four batters through, we could have got a lot more runs. We got a few wickets but leaked too many boundaries.” The character of bowlers showed: Shreyas ============================== Meanwhile, KKR captain Shreyas Iyer credited the bowlers for the win.
The triumph has allowed the two-time champions to maintain the second spot on the table with eight points from five matches.
“The way we played, it was a comprehensive victory. We bowled well under pressure, and then, finishing off the game, it was the icing on the cake,” said Iyer.
“It was important to bowl as many slower balls as possible. With the heat coming in, the wicket was a little dry, and we wanted to minimise the half-volleys, and we wanted the batters to use their power and clear the ropes.
“That is what we were focusing on, and I feel we executed it phenomenally well. The character and attitude bowlers showed were exceptional.”
The unbeaten partnership of 120 runs between Iyer (38 runs, 38b) and Phil Salt (89 off 47b) played a pivotal role in KKR’s success.
Salt lauded Iyer for his support. “Shreyas was good in the middle and kept me on task. Good to have Shreyas back (in form).” The Englishman also credited the Eden Gardens wicket for making him feel at home.
“Before the lights came on, I felt it was a little slower. When they came on, there was a bit more moisture to allow the ball to slide on, so it got a bit better for our innings.
“In India, this (pitch) is probably the most similar to home (in England). The ball bounces a bit more, and you can aim squarer.”