On Monday, Lucknow Super Giants' assistant coach Lance Klusener and captain Rishabh Pant engaged in a disagreement regarding the factors contributing to the team's defeat against Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2025 season opener held in Vizag. Lucknow narrowly lost by one wicket in a thrilling finish, with Ashutosh Sharma delivering an impressive performance, scoring 66* off 31 balls.

Lucknow set a challenging target of 210 runs, bolstered by a strong partnership between Mitchell Marsh, who scored 72, and Nicholas Pooran, who contributed 75 runs. Marsh dominated the bowling attack, while Pooran capitalized on the Capitals' spinners, forming a formidable duo that helped LSG surpass the 200-run threshold.

Despite the late collapse of LSG's innings, Pant chose to focus on the positives from their batting performance. "I believe our top-order batters performed exceptionally well, and we achieved a commendable score on this pitch. As a team, we aim to extract positives from every match and learn from each experience. The more we adhere to the fundamentals, the better our future prospects will be. We secured early wickets, but we recognized that it was a good batting surface. We needed to consistently execute the basics," he stated during the post-match presentation.

Klusener disagrees with Pant

Klusener expresses a differing opinion from Pant regarding the recent defeat. The former South African international stated that the team fell short by approximately 20 to 30 runs, which intensified the pressure on the bowlers.

"If I had to pinpoint the issue, I would say we left 20 or 30 runs on the field with the bat. This is likely why we found ourselves under pressure while bowling," Klusener remarked.

"I believe the Delhi Capitals finished their innings strongly, but the root of our predicament lies in our insufficient run total, which we should have achieved. When our bowlers executed their plans effectively, there was some spin available, indicating it was a good pitch. There was something for everyone."

"I felt that the bowling conditions were slightly more challenging than the batting, but this reinforces my point that, given our experience and batting strength, we missed out on a few runs tonight. With a match in three days, we need to ensure that the younger players remain positive and confident in their abilities."

LSG's upcoming challenge will be against the high-scoring Sunrisers Hyderabad, with the match scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Read Also: Ashutosh Sharma Turns Up the Heat, Faf Responds with Masala Tea Cheers

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!