Bangalore trip up Super Giants on sluggish Lucknow pitch in IPL 2023

In T20 cricket, home advantage does not make much difference with batters more often than not taking over whatever the nature of the surface. But here in Lucknow, it's the pitch which makes all the difference, especially when it's a black soil wicket of low bounce where the ball comes on slow.

Even after scoring just 126/9, Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore made things difficult for Lucknow Super Giants in their own den on the double-paced turf at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday, scripting a thrilling 18-run win in the IPL.

LSG had more to worry after the third consecutive defeat at home as skipper KL Rahul suffered an injury after falling while trying to stop the ball in the second over. Grimacing in pain with a likely hamstring or thigh injury, he was helped off the pitch by LSG support staff. He came on to bat as LSG's innings went into a steady decline, and even struggled to move, leave alone hit the ball. He was unbeaten on zero in three balls.

It is likely to provide a fresh injury headache for India as they head to the World Test Championship final against Australia to be played at the Oval in June. With Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer all injured and ruled out of the match, Rahul, despite his poor batting form, was seen as at least an experienced hand who could shore up the middle order.

Revenge was very much on the minds of RCB having lost their first meeting at Bengaluru. After the fall of their best bat Kyle Mayers for a duck in the first over, LSG could not fight back against a disciplined bowling attack of RCB and were dismissed for 108 in 19.5 overs after being reduced to 34/4 in six overs.

Barring Krishnappa Gowtham (23 -- 13b, 1x4, 2x6), Krunal Pandya (14 -- 11b, 3x4) and Marcus Stoinis (13 -- 19b, 1x6), no LSG batter touched double figures.

Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli too had struggled against the slow bowlers, especially Krunal Pandya's left-arm spin. Pandya didn't allow the two openers to free their arms. Both were lucky not to be caught and also escaped a run out early in the game.

Du Plessis struck a six off Marcus Stonis in the second over that went for 10 runs. RCB never got going as the ball came on late with the low bounce too troubling the batters. RCB scored 42 runs in power play and Kohli and du Plessis raised 62 runs in 54 balls together.

Kohli (31, 30b, 3x4) fell first. He was beaten charging out to Ravi Bishnoi's googly outside off stump to be stumped. Anuj Rawat (9), Glenn Maxwell (4) and Suyash Prabhudessai (6) too fell cheaply before Du Plessis was caught by Pandya off Amit Mishra. Du Plessis top-scored with 40-ball 44 (1x, 1x6). Mishra accounted for du Plessis, caught by Gowtham. Batters down the order too found it difficult to push the score.

Kohli, Gambhir row

There were heated arguments between Kohli and LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir soon after the match. TV footage showed the two exchanging heated words. It appeared Kohli was talking to Kyle Mayers when Gambhir tried to take the player away. Kohli and Gambhir have clashed on the field in IPL.

Players from both the sides, including Rahul, were seen calming down Kohli. The drama continued for almost 10 minutes before the presentation ceremony began.