Two losses in three games have hit Lucknow Super Giants hard, and team mentor Zaheer Khan couldn’t dodge questions that were asked about the franchise’s new skipper Rishabh Pant. The wicket-keeper batter, who arrived from the Delhi Capitals for a fee of INR 27 crore, a record in the history of the Indian Premier League, hasn’t managed to score 17 runs from three matches. When LSG mentor Zaheer Khan was asked about Pant’s form as a batter, he said that he team has to back him as he is the skipper.
“We always have to find a way as he is our captain. Everyone has expectations from him and I believe the way he has done well as a captain, he will also contribute as a player,” Zaheer said in the post-match press conference.
Zaheer also did not hold back in his criticism of the home-ground pitch following the heavy defeat to Punjab Kings, remarking, it looked like the PBKS “curator out here”.
Chasing 172 on a track that offered grip and variable bounce, PBKS rode on opener Prabhsimran Singh’s 34-ball 69 to outplay the home side by eight wickets as LSG find themselves saddled at the No.6 spot with just one victory in three games and a net run rate in the negative.
“What was a little disappointing for me here, considering it’s a home game, and you know, in IPL you’ve seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, you know,” said the former India pacer in the post-match press interaction.
“So yeah, from that point of view, you’ve seen the curator is not really thinking that it’s a home game. You know, I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here.” The former pacer, who was the global head of cricket development at Mumbai Indians before joining LSG, added that all this deprives the home team fans of watching their side dominating the proceedings.
“So, that’s (pitch) something which we’ll figure out. It’s a new setup also for me here. But I hope that this is the first and the last game when it comes to that, because you are disappointing the Lucknow fans as well.” “They’ve come up with so much expectations of winning the first home game here. As a team, we are confident, you know, we accept that we’ve lost the game, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to make that impact in the home leg. We still have six more games to go here,” he added.
Zaheer also said he will continue giving precedence to a “process-oriented setup” than a result-oriented one despite a big loss at home.
“This is the third game of the season, you know, so we’ve been very vocal about how the team is looking at this season. So, that’s something which is very important for us as a group. It’s a very process-oriented setup, not so much result-oriented.
“So, we’re going to definitely focus on the positives. Yes, there is some work to be done, which will happen in the due course,” said the former India pacer.
This was the first home game for LSG and a loss did come as a dampener to the fans but Zaheer said his main focus was on creating a “parameter” for the side to follow.
“See, that’s the nature of IPL, isn’t it? You will be on the go, you’ll be playing home games, away games. It was the first home game for us for this season, so yes, there were a lot of expectations and hopes. Punjab did outplay us, that’s how the game went.
“Like I said, you know, we are looking at the season in setting the parameters for us as a group. For us, it’s important that we look at the whole group as one and with one mission, one vision, going out there, finding ways to win games.
“So, when you’re looking at it that way, you know, there are going to be good days, bad days for us as we move along in the tournament. What matters is how we’re looking at things.” The former pacer added that he was not really bothered about injuries to some players, adding that the bigger plus for his side was that it had made a “impact” despite the losses.
“Yes, there were some injuries, but you look at the team which has taken the highest wickets in this tournament so far. You know, we’ve managed to create that impact, our first two games taking 18 wickets.
“This team has shown in the season so far, whatever little cricket is played, that we have the right outlook and the mindset to look at IPL, to look at the games. What you can expect is innovation, out of the box thinking, the fight, the hunger. And I think, you know, that sums up, you know, that sums up a team.
“And I think, you know, that’s something which we want to give it to the fans. We want to give it to the loyalists of Lucknow Super Giants. So that’s how we are looking at things.”
With PTI Inputs
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