Blame Game In Rishabh Pant's LSG Camp After Heart-Breaking Defeat Against DC, Lance Klusner Says THIS
LSG's collapse and weak bowling cost them against DC, despite Marsh and Pooran's heroics.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) camp is reeling from a crushing defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals (DC), and assistant coach Lance Klusner has pointed to two critical areas where his side fell short – batting depth and an injury-ravaged bowling lineup. Despite Nicholas Pooran’s explosive half-century and a blistering knock from Mitchell Marsh, LSG faltered under pressure, allowing DC to snatch victory in a thrilling run chase at Vizag.
LSG's Collapse: Missed Runs Cost Crucial Momentum
Klusner did not mince words while assessing his team's batting performance, stating that LSG had left runs on the table. "We need to build bigger partnerships. We left some runs out there tonight. That is our biggest lesson," he emphasized in the post-match press conference.
LSG appeared to be cruising at 161/3 in 13.4 overs but suffered a dramatic collapse, losing five wickets in quick succession. The dismissals of captain Rishabh Pant (0), Pooran (75 off 30), Ayush Badoni (4), Shardul Thakur (0), and Shahbaz Ahmed (2) derailed their momentum, restricting them to 209/8 in 20 overs. The late-order slump proved costly, allowing DC to mount a comeback.
Injury Woes Expose LSG’s Bowling Vulnerabilities
With key pacers Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Akash Deep sidelined, LSG fielded an inexperienced bowling attack featuring just two frontline quicks—Shardul Thakur and the young Prince Yadav. The spin-heavy attack, comprising Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, and Shahbaz Ahmed, struggled for consistency.
"At the moment, we do not have a lot of reserves with the ball, so we are going to have to mix and match until we get players back. We bowled well in patches, but we need to be more consistent," Klusner acknowledged.
Despite LSG’s bowling struggles, Shardul provided early breakthroughs, picking up two wickets in his first over. However, the inexperience in the attack was evident as DC capitalized on the lack of firepower in the death overs.
Ashutosh’s Brilliance Overshadows Marsh and Pooran’s Heroics
LSG’s batting lineup delivered early fireworks, with Marsh (72 off 36) and Pooran (75 off 30) dismantling DC’s bowlers. The duo’s aggressive stroke play powered LSG to a formidable total. However, DC’s fightback, led by Mitchell Starc (3/42) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/20), halted their charge.
DC’s chase started disastrously, slipping to 65/5 despite brief resistance from Faf du Plessis (29 off 18) and Axar Patel (22 off 11). The turning point arrived when Ashutosh played an innings for the ages, forging a 48-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (34 off 22) and another 39-run partnership with Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15). His fearless approach steered DC to an improbable win with three balls to spare.