Rashid Khan, Gill help Gujarat Titans win and clinch playoff berth
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00:00To be very honest, I thought it would be a good game. It was played on a wicket which was a little tricky, but that's where you get to know the temperament of a team.
00:18Hello, everyone. This is The Straight Bad with Gulf News and Mr. Cricket UAE. That is Anish Sarjan.
00:24We are here to discuss today's IPL match, an absorbing one, very unlike the thrillers of the last few days.
00:29And this is completely a cat and mouse game. And to tell us more about it, let me go over to Anish.
00:38Thank you, Shyam. Hello, Mr. Gautam. Hi, Vinit. And hello to all the lovely people of Gulf News.
00:43To be very honest, I thought it would be a good game. It was played on a wicket which was
00:48a little tricky, but that's where you get to know the temperament of a team.
00:52You have to give it to Hardik Pandya, street smart, in dropping a fastball or picking a spinner.
00:58They managed 140 thanks to Gill. And LSG, it seemed like they were chasing 200,
01:03they were going too fast and hold it up for 80.
01:08Gautam, I mean, much is made of the pitch. Everybody was saying the pitch was tricky to
01:14bat on because we obviously see Gujarat struggled initially and how the Lucknow
01:19innings unraveled. How bad was the wicket? See, on this wicket, one had to kind of stand and
01:28wait, plod on. The target was not much and then they would have got the bad balls which
01:33they needed to punish. What obviously happened was those four overs of Rashid Khan, I mean,
01:40he simply played havoc. And this Shai Kishore, he was also spot on this left-arm spinner.
01:47I mean, I didn't even know that he's the guy who was brought in and I was wondering who he is. So
01:53he also did an excellent job. But obviously, you needed to stick around in the wicket
01:59and play that, you know, what should I say, conventional cricket. Take a look at what's
02:06your asking rate and go about it. Nobody was willing to do that. So that kind of, I mean,
02:11I was not ready for an 80 plus, 80 all out. But yes, it was a harakiri of sorts.
02:19Vineet Krishna, Lucknow Super King, Super Giant supporter. I think you can't be more than
02:26more. You can ask for more. A player of both, a win by a convincing win. Tell us your thoughts
02:32at this moment. Truth be told, I mean, I was watching today's match and like, as Mr. Gautam
02:40said, you know, the pitch was tricky, but I don't think it was this bad that, you know,
02:45Lucknow would actually fold up for 82, just 82. I felt, you know, yeah, like Rashid can't
02:52bowl well, but I felt a lot of batsmen were simply trying to play too many shots, you know,
02:57get out of jail shots. And, you know, truth be told, I think even Shai Kishore deserves some
03:04credit, you know, because even I also didn't know who he was. And I was actually skeptical about,
03:09you know, whether he would do well. But in this season in general, you know, the young Indian
03:15players, you know, they've actually stepped up, you know, many of the seniors have failed to step
03:19up, but, you know, the young Indian players have come in their place. But yeah, all in all, you
03:24know, I was actually disappointed with the short selection of most of the Lucknow batsmen in
03:32general. Okay, let me go back to Anis on what he said earlier. You said that, I mean,
03:41Gujarat played smart cricket, right from the selection of Shai Kishore, can you elaborate on that?
03:48Yeah, see, one is reading a wicket is not easy. Maybe they were able to read with the help of
03:53Ashish Nehra or Husawar who read the wicket, that they decided to drop a bowler of Ferguson's class.
03:59One is that. Then, as much as you have to give credit to Shubman Gill, okay, he was dropped on
04:04the first ball, a couple of run-out chances were missed, but that's part and parcel of the game.
04:08But at least he hung around. He was not trying to play the rash shots. If you see, his shots were
04:13basically singles and doubles. And that is where you require that conventional cricket, because
04:17every wicket is not a 180 or 190 wicket, where you have to drop anchor and make sure that you hold
04:23one end. And it was not helped once again by the Lucknow's poor fielding, whether it was Badoni,
04:28whether it was Deepak Ghoda, they were pathetic in the field. At least 20-25 runs were given
04:34to due to poor fielding. And chasing 140 and 120 was a difference. And then they created
04:41Harakiri when chasing. When you know the opposition has struggled batting, scoring 140,
04:47you would probably bat deep and see how much you can take. Like Rahul mentions that we didn't want
04:53it to lose wickets, but go a little hard in the powerplay. When you have lost Quinton, Dickog,
04:57your goal is to play deep. And the batting revolves around you. And I'm afraid after Rahul,
05:03they have nobody. I'm afraid Hudas and all are good, but not good enough on a tricky wicket.
05:10Gautam, Anil has pointed out that Gill's knock was the difference. What do you make
05:19of that particular innings? Because he was just, he striked it as pathetic. But the thing is,
05:24he held the innings together. Tell us more about it.
05:30Yes, Shyam. There was always, his cricket sense was never in doubt. I mean, what happens is,
05:36there are certain days when, you know, the best of shots end up finding the fielders.
05:43So that's what he needs to often, he takes time to overcome like in their previous game.
05:49Today, the same thing, the moment he understood, he knew that he had to stay there to deep,
05:54and they get into that, you know, 150-ish kind of a total would be really a good one out there.
06:01And that's what he was trying to do. I mean, this just kind of suited his approach,
06:06where he can take time to settle down, and he can build his innings. That's what he did.
06:10Okay. Vinit, at the head of Gujarat spin, I thought a little what I noticed was that
06:22Shyam's brilliant spell, three overs, five runs, that cranked up the pressure, isn't it?
06:28Yeah, yeah. I felt, you know, Shyam was the one who pretty much set it up, you know,
06:33for the spinners to actually wreak havoc on the Lucknow batting lineup. Because
06:38that's, you know, creating such an early pressure in the power play, you know, that pretty much
06:44determines how the game is going to go. But I also felt, you know, Quinton Ducotte, for example,
06:52his dismissal was actually, you know, unnecessary, because he hit a six just before getting out.
06:59I know that's his natural game, but on a slowish wicket like this, you know, he could have actually
07:03thought better, because he's a more experienced batsman. But then again, you know, Shyam's spell,
07:08you know, was the one which pretty much set it up, you know, for bowlers like Rashid Khan and
07:13Sai Kishore. Because that's where, you know, in situations like these, you know, that's when
07:17Rashid Khan is at his very best. And coming back to this again, but I fear I might be repeating,
07:27but I think this is something, a point which we have to labour. Because at this level, where all
07:32these guys are professional, you expect them to have a lot more game sense. But a lot of the
07:36dismissals have been very soft dismissals, isn't it? You're right, Shyam. Like, when you know you
07:44are chasing a target on a tricky wicket, which is not too high, so your plan is to make sure you
07:50keep wickets in the end, and then attack the bowlers where you will get loose deliveries,
07:55like Mr. Gautam also mentioned. And there will be, because they had picked two spinners. And
07:59mind you, one was playing his first game. Rashid Khan was the danger man. Okay, Shyami did bowl
08:03well in the initial spell, but we know how Shyami goes for runs in the end part. Okay, even though
08:08he bowled three overs, he still would have had one over. There was another guy who went for 24
08:12runs in two overs. So, this is where my problem with Indian batsmen is, okay. I am not going to
08:18talk about the foreign batsmen, whether it is Rahul or the Badonis. I'm afraid Badonis is totally
08:23off colour. If you watch his last seven innings, he's not crossed 20 women once. So, we all spoke
08:28about him that he's a spark, but that spark has diffused very soon. And the Deepak Ghodas and the
08:34Krunal Pandyas, they are not the guys who can score on tricky wickets. They all want or like
08:40the ball to come onto the bat. Easier for me to say, but I am not playing cricket at the highest
08:44level. They are the guys playing cricket on the highest level. So, if you can't read a wicket,
08:48and you are not having good temperament.
08:51Kodama, Lucknow have pretty much steered up the playoff. I mean, it's just a question of who is
09:03going to finish in the top two, and they seem to be in a poor position. But where do you see
09:07Lucknow going from here? Do they look like, sorry, Gujarat, do they look like champions at the moment?
09:18See, firstly, they have qualified. I mean, right now, that one and two, as you said,
09:25that may still change with, I think, about three games. Yes, you know, what I'm
09:32looking at is adapting to situations and finding out what to do. They seem to be doing better than,
09:40certainly, they did this better than Lucknow Supergiants today. The two teams, I mean,
09:46the teams were pushing. They are more well-rounded teams. I mean, that's the thing.
09:53So, I see them making the final, honestly. And then from there, whatever happens.
10:01And Vinit, where do you see Lucknow going?
10:04Well, I mean, Gujarat or Lucknow.
10:08No, no, no. He is the Lucknow Supergiants man.
10:12Yeah. Actually, I mean, although this game wasn't the best of games, you know,
10:18considering Lucknow's overall form in this tournament, I do see them making the top two.
10:23And from there on, which, you know, it just depends on how they handle pressure, you know,
10:27because, you know, Lucknow and Gujarat, they are the new teams in the IPL. The other teams,
10:32you know, they have had the experience of, you know, making the playoffs and playing in the
10:36playoffs. So, it's going to be a question of, you know, how they handle the pressure during those
10:41knockout stages. But I do see Lucknow and Gujarat making the top two spots.
10:48Anish, do you see Lucknow making a comeback?
10:51No, I don't see them coming in the top two, for sure. Because of today's loss and the
10:56margin of the loss, their run rate might look in positive. Next match, they play with ARA.
11:01I know there are no ifs and buts. If ARA manage to beat them, KKR has nothing to lose.
11:06They will definitely beat Lucknow, even though they had a hammering at the same ground in this
11:10wicket. But that time, that was a different situation. And KKR going to the last match
11:14with nothing to lose. So, it will be, Lucknow will be under pressure. And if one team, there
11:19are five teams or six teams grabbing for the 16 points, so Lucknow will stick on 16. And if the
11:24net run rate goes bad against ARA, they might even get knocked off. You can't take things lightly.
11:28You are at 16, you have not still secured a position. So, there are four teams. Delhi is
11:33trying for 16. Punjab is trying for 16. I know, theoretically, mathematically, even Chennai is
11:39trying for 16. So, who knows? If they lose the next match to ARA, the last match is against KKR.
11:47And as I said, KKR has nothing to lose. They will go all out and all the pressure will be on Lucknow.
11:54I think the next two matches, next two round of matches would give us a more clearer picture.
11:59So, before we wind up, Anish, tell us about the competition.
12:04Well, yes, we have a lovely competition every day at Gulf News. Go to your favorite page where
12:08you predict the winner. It's very difficult, but that's what is your skill about. You've got to
12:13use your mind, head, watch the pitch report, then select the team and see who's the smarter captain.
12:19And if you do that, you win a nice apparel kit, which is a t-shirt, track and a cap,
12:23and a year's digital subscription from Gulf News.
12:25Okay. Now, let's have a turn to predict tomorrow's match,
12:28that is Rajasthan Royals versus Delhi Capitals. Anish, what's your pick here?
12:35As much as I want Delhi to win, they have been playing poor cricket, but they have made it a
12:39habit, lose one, win one. So, tomorrow I'm backing them to win.
12:44Okay. Vinit, what about you?
12:47I feel Rajasthan is more consistent. So, I'm going to put Rajasthan.
12:50Okay. Gautam?
12:53I think Rajasthan, Shyam.
12:55Yeah, same here. I also think it's Rajasthan. So, three of us against Anish.
13:00No, but it's all about getting it right on that day, when all of us have to predict,
13:05and the players have to go and perform.
13:07Yeah, we have got it wrong so often. It's not funny. Anyway, that is cricket,
13:11and that is T20 cricket. But thank you for tuning in. Thank you for participating.
13:16For the latest updates and more developments,
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