"You have to really do some soul-searching" - Aakash Chopra on Lucknow Super Giants' loss to Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022
Aakash Chopra reckons the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) need to do some introspection after their massive defeat in Tuesday's (May 10) IPL 2022 encounter against the Gujarat Titans (GT).
The LSG bowlers restricted Hardik Pandya's side to a reasonable score of 144/4. However, their batters were found wanting as they were bowled out for 82 to lose the match by a huge margin of 62 runs.
While reviewing the LSG-GT clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Lucknow Super Giants suffered a mauling in a low-scoring encounter. He elaborated:
"If we see from Lucknow's viewpoint, the batting didn't go anywhere. If you lose a 144-run encounter by 62 runs, you have to really do some soul-searching. The (GT) bowlers didn't even bowl their full overs. It was just a cakewalk."
The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player highlighted that the Lucknow Super Giants' middle and lower-order batters almost gave up without a fight. He observed:
"My favorite contest was the one between Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul. Dot ball after dot ball and then the ball went straight up in the air. KL Rahul out, Quinton de Kock out and then other than Deepak Hooda neither did anyone show the will to stay there nor the skills."
Deepak Hooda (27 off 26), Quinton de Kock (11 off 10) and Avesh Khan (12 off 4) were the only three Lucknow Super Giants players to reach the double-digit mark. With wickets falling at regular intervals, KL Rahul's side were never in the chase.
Click here to find out which is the next match in the IPL schedule 2022.
"He got a chance again and he did an amazing job" - Aakash Chopra on Yash Dayal's spell vs the Lucknow Super Giants
Aakash Chopra lauded Mohammed Shami and Yash Dayal for giving the Gujarat Titans the early breakthroughs during the Lucknow Super Giants' innings. He said:
"First Mohammed Shami and then Yash Dayal. He (Dayal) got a chance again and he did an amazing job - he took two important wickets. He dismissed Quinton de Kock, who was looking a little dangerous and then Karan Sharma, a UP bowler and a UP batter and the Gujaratis got happy."
The renowned commentator also showered praise on Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan for being amongst the wickets. Chopra stated:
"Sai Kishore came and picked up two wickets in two overs. He is a TNPL guy, bowls left-arm spin, six franchises had gone after him and he played his first match of the IPL. Rashid karamati Khan picked up four wickets. Karamati Khan, talent ki khaan, he is brilliant."
While Rashid Khan (4/24) was the most successful GT bowler, Sai Kishore registered figures of 2/7 in the two overs he bowled. The former was also on a hat-trick but Avesh Khan surprisingly hit the Afghanistan leg-spinner over long-on for a six on that delivery.