IPL 2023: Targeting KL Rahul? Venkatesh Prasad drops a bomb on twitter after LSG bottle chase vs GT

KL Rahul-led LSG needed 31 runs off final 6 overs, where they bottled the chase against Gujarat Titans.

From 58 in 45 balls to 68 in 61 balls, KL Rahul’s inning at the end proved a match-winner for Gujarat Titans, not for Lucknow Super Giants. Lucknow while chasing 136, bottled up the chase after the 15th over. In a low-scoring thriller, Gujarat Titans defeated Lucknow by 7 runs. LSG were in a position of winning the game with 31 required in the last 6 overs. Former Indian pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad questioned Lucknow’s approach while chasing down a small target. This cryptic tweet has also put KL Rahul in the spotlight. He called Lucknow’s approach in the last over as ‘brainless’.

Venkatesh Prasad targeting KL Rahul?

Lucknow Captain KL Rahul played 16 deliveries and scored just 10 runs with no boundaries after the 15th over. Questioning Lucknow’s approach, Venkatesh Prasad tweeted, “Bottling a run chase when 30 needed of 35 balls with 9 wickets in hand requires some baffling batting. Happened with Punjab in 2020 on a few occasions losing games they should have won easily. As brilliant as Guj (Gujarat) with ball & Hardik smart with his captaincy, brainless from Lko (Lucknow)”. Fans have linked Prasad’s tweet to KL Rahul criticism. Recently he was critical of Rahul’s batting.

What happened in 2020?

This is not the first occasion where KL Rahul has come under pressure with his approach in batting. Venkatesh Prasad is referring to a 2020 game where Punjab Kings failed to chase down 165 runs even after being in a commanding position till the 15th over in the chase. Rahul scored 74 runs in 58 balls. But he failed to score any boundary after the 13th over in that inning, finally getting out in the penultimate over of the chase. KL Rahul was the captain of the Punjab Kings in that game. They lost by a mere 2 runs.

Former Cricketer Venkatesh Prasad has always been critical of KL’s approach. In Saturday afternoon's game, once again KL Rahul and Lucknow batters panicked against Gujarat Titans and ended up losing the game by just 7 runs. Batting first, Titans scored 135 runs in 20 overs, Lucknow started the chase nicely but they crumbled under pressure.