Cricket

Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) hopes of reaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs have dwindled after their defeat to Delhi Capitals. With just one game remaining, LSG's fate is no longer in their own hands.LSG's poor run-rate has been a major factor in their struggles. After their 10-wicket loss to SunRisers Hyderabad, their run-rate plummeted to -0.769. Following their defeat to DC, it has further deteriorated to -0.787. This is the worst run-rate among the four teams vying for the fourth playoff spot.The team's recent performances have also been marred by controversy. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka's animated discussion with captain KL Rahul after their loss to SunRisers Hyderabad was caught on camera, leading to widespread criticism.Despite their struggles, LSG still have a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs. However, they would need to win their last match by a significant margin and hope that two of CSK, SRH, and RCB lose their games by equally large margins.If LSG fails to qualify for the playoffs, it is likely that Rahul will leave the franchise. Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bangalore are considered the frontrunners to acquire his services.

The recent incident involving Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka and skipper KL Rahul has sparked widespread discussion. After LSG's 10-wicket loss to SunRisers Hyderabad, Goenka was seen having an animated conversation with Rahul and coach Justin Langer. The incident went viral on social media, with many criticizing Goenka's behavior.However, Langer has now shed light on the situation, revealing that the discussion was solely about the team's performance. "I was so surprised by the reaction," Langer said. "It was just about where our plan went wrong in the game, and it went wrong."Langer emphasized that both Goenka and Rahul are known for their calm demeanor, and the conversation was not as heated as it appeared. "When I saw there were some arms going about, I thought, 'Woah, I have never seen this before,'" Langer said. "But when I listened to the conversation, it was just about cricket talk."Despite the incident, Rahul remains the captain of LSG and led the team in their match against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. Before the match, an image of Goenka hugging Rahul went viral, indicating that the situation has been resolved.The incident has raised questions about the role of owners in sports teams and the pressure they can put on players and coaches. However, Langer believes that the relationship between Goenka, Rahul, and himself is strong. "We are just laughing about it," Langer said. "It has been such an awesome relationship."

Match 64 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 promises an enthralling clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday. Both teams are vying for a crucial victory to bolster their playoff aspirations.DC, currently sixth in the standings with 12 points from 13 matches, will be eager to bounce back from their recent defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Axar Patel, with 98 fantasy points, was the standout performer for DC in that match.LSG, on the other hand, are seventh in the table with 12 points from 12 matches. They suffered a setback in their last outing against SunRisers Hyderabad, despite Ayush Badoni's impressive 82 fantasy points.Players to Watch Out For:DC:* Rishabh Pant: The wicket-keeper and left-handed batter has been a reliable force for DC, scoring 413 runs in 12 matches.* Axar Patel: The all-rounder has contributed with both bat and ball, scoring 221 runs and taking 10 wickets.* Kuldeep Yadav: The slow left-arm chinaman bowler has been a key wicket-taker for DC, claiming 15 wickets in 10 matches.LSG:* KL Rahul: The skipper and right-handed batter has been consistent, scoring 460 runs in 12 matches.* Marcus Stoinis: The all-rounder provides stability with his batting and bowling, scoring 355 runs and taking four wickets.* Yash Thakur: The right-arm medium-fast bowler is LSG's leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets in 10 matches.With these top performers on the field, the DC vs LSG clash promises to be a thrilling contest. Both teams will be determined to secure a victory that could significantly impact their playoff chances.

Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants face off in a crucial encounter on Tuesday, with both teams vying for a playoff berth. DC's hopes are slim, requiring a resounding victory and a series of favorable results. LSG, on the other hand, has a better chance but needs to improve their net run rate.LSG's batting has been sluggish, averaging 8.35 runs per over, while their bowlers have taken the fewest wickets in IPL 2024. They face a formidable challenge in Jake Fraser-McGurk, DC's explosive opener who boasts an impressive boundary percentage and strike rate.DC welcomes back Rishabh Pant after his suspension, likely replacing Kumar Kushagra. LSG may introduce Mohsin Khan, who missed the previous game due to injury.Fraser-McGurk and KL Rahul are key players to watch. Fraser-McGurk has been a revelation, while Rahul needs to rediscover his form to lead LSG to the playoffs.Statistically, DC has a slight edge over LSG, having won their most recent encounter. Pant has a strong record against Krunal Pandya but struggles against Ravi Bishnoi. Axar Patel could be a valuable asset against Rahul and Stoinis.The Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a high-scoring venue, with teams batting first averaging over 250 runs. The forecast predicts a warm evening, providing favorable conditions for batting.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) assistant coach Lance Klusener has downplayed the recent public outburst by team owner Sanjiv Goenka towards skipper KL Rahul, describing it as a "storm in a teacup." Klusener emphasized that he sees no issue with "robust discussions between two cricket lovers."Despite speculations about Rahul's future as LSG captain, Klusener stated that there have been "certainly no discussions around" the matter. He defended Rahul's performance, acknowledging that the IPL has been challenging for the opener due to the team's inconsistent batting."KL has got his own unique style which has made him a fantastic player," Klusener said. "This IPL has been exceptionally tough for him because we've kept losing wickets at stages which hasn't allowed him to kick on where he likes."Klusener expressed confidence that Rahul is capable of a big knock and that the team is supporting him. He also acknowledged that the bowling unit underperformed in their recent loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, but attributed it to a combination of exceptional batting and poor execution.With LSG's playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Klusener emphasized the need for consistency. "We've been just a little bit inconsistent by our own high standards," he said. "We just need to deal with the fact of where we are now and make sure that we become consistent."

Lucknow Super Giants Owner's Outburst Sparks Debate on Team OwnershipLucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka's heated exchange with skipper KL Rahul and head coach Justin Langer following their humiliating defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has ignited a discussion about the appropriate role of team owners in professional sports.LSG's dismal performance, where openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head chased down a 166-run target in a mere 9.4 overs, prompted Goenka's outburst. The incident has drawn criticism from former India batter Virender Sehwag, who believes that team owners should refrain from expressing anger towards players or staff."The owner's role should be to motivate players, not to question them or get angry," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. "Coaches and captains run the team, so it's better for owners to stay out of it."Sehwag, who served as mentor for Punjab Kings from 2016 to 2018, emphasized that team owners are primarily concerned with profit and loss. However, he argued that in the case of IPL franchises, where profits are guaranteed, owners should focus on supporting the team rather than interfering."These owners are businessmen who only understand profit and loss," Sehwag said. "But in the IPL, there is no loss, so what's bothering them? They're earning a huge profit. Their job should be to motivate the players, not to create unnecessary pressure."Sehwag also pointed out that players have options in the IPL and can easily move to other franchises if they feel disrespected or undervalued. "If you lose a player, your chances of winning are zero," he said. "When I left Punjab, they were fifth. They never came fifth in any other seasons."Sehwag's comments have resonated with many fans and experts, who believe that team owners should respect the authority of coaches and players and avoid creating a hostile environment. The incident has highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between ownership involvement and team autonomy in professional sports.

Lucknow Super Giants' Naveen-ul-Haq Shows Support for KL Rahul Amidst ControversyLucknow Super Giants (LSG) fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has sparked speculation with a social media post that appears to show support for skipper KL Rahul following a controversial incident involving team owner Sanjiv Goenka.Goenka was caught on camera having a heated conversation with Rahul after LSG's 10-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. The incident drew widespread criticism from fans and experts alike.Naveen's Instagram post, which features a photo of himself with Rahul in LSG colors accompanied by a heart emoji, has been interpreted by many as a gesture of solidarity with the captain. While the post does not explicitly address the controversy, its timing has raised eyebrows.The incident has also drawn the attention of Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who expressed his disapproval of Goenka's behavior."Such behavior from an IPL team owner sends a bad message," Shami said on 'Cricbuzz Live.' "Crores of people are watching you and learning from you. If these things happen in front of cameras, it's shameful."Shami emphasized the importance of maintaining boundaries and having respectful conversations, suggesting that the incident should have been handled privately."It's very important to note that players have respect, and you are a respectful person too, as an owner," Shami said. "If you have to do that, there are many different ways. You could've done the same thing in the dressing room or the hotel. It wasn't necessary to do it on the field."The controversy has cast a shadow over LSG's season, which has been marked by inconsistent performances. The team currently sits in ninth place in the IPL standings with four wins and six losses.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), despite being a contender for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs, faces challenges within the franchise. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has rescued LSG in crucial moments, but the top-order, particularly skipper KL Rahul, has underperformed.In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), LSG chased a target of 236, with Rahul scoring a sluggish 25 off 21. Cricket legend Brett Lee criticized Rahul's approach, stating that it puts immense pressure on the middle-order."KKR's openers start quickly and score runs, while Rahul gets a run a ball, pressurizing the back end," Lee said. "Rahul's strike rate has declined, and he's under pressure because he hasn't scored the runs he should."Rahul acknowledged LSG's poor performance in all aspects of the game. "We failed in batting, bowling, and fielding," he said. "We couldn't handle the pressure from Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, and our young bowlers struggled."LSG's struggles extend beyond Rahul's form. The team's bowling has been inconsistent, and the fielding has been error-prone. The franchise needs to address these issues to maintain its playoff aspirations.

KL Rahul Omitted from India's T20 World Cup Squad: BCCI Chief Selector ExplainsThe Indian cricket team's wicket-keeping position for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 has been a subject of much debate. The selectors have ultimately opted for Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, leaving out KL Rahul from the 15-member squad and reserves.This decision has raised eyebrows, considering Rahul's impressive form in the ongoing IPL 2024. He became the first wicket-keeper batter to score 400 runs in the competition this year. However, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has shed light on the rationale behind Rahul's exclusion.Agarkar explained that the selectors were prioritizing players who can bat in the middle order. Rahul, on the other hand, has primarily played as an opener for his IPL team, Lucknow Super Giants."KL's a terrific player. But we were looking for guys who bat in the middle. We feel Sanju has the ability to come down the order if need be. Rishabh is batting at No. 5 for DC. It wasn't whether KL is better or these guys are better. It's about the slots we needed, and we felt that these two are better equipped at this point in the latter half of the innings," Agarkar said.Agarkar also acknowledged the influence of IPL performances on team selection. However, he emphasized that the selectors do not solely rely on three months of cricket."It's a little bit of a challenge. You try and plan before the IPL starts. We had conversations in the last few months anyway. You keep a track of performances and fitness of players, but if you get swayed by three months of cricket, then there's something wrong in the way you pick players. We were pretty clear in our thinking," Agarkar added.