IPL 2023: Is it hamstring or hip flexor injury for KL Rahul? Krunal Pandya clarifies
IPL 2023: KL Rahul suffered an injury scare after slipping at the boundary during LSG's meeting against RCB on Monday. While it appeared to have been a hamstring pull, Krunal Pandya said it was supposedly his hip flexor.
FollowOn Monday, Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG's) stand-in captain Krunal Pandya said regular skipper KL Rahul pulled his hip flexor muscle. Still, the extent of his injury is yet to be ascertained. LSG lost a low-scoring IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Monday by 18 runs.
Asked to bowl first, LSG suffered a big blow early in the game when Rahul pulled his right thigh muscle while chasing a ball towards the extra cover boundary and then limped off the ground. With LSG needing 24 runs off eight balls, an injured Rahul came out to bat at number 11 but failed to open his account in the three deliveries he faced.
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"It is a sad thing. He [Rahul] pulled his hip flexor, I guess. I do not know how bad it is. The medical team will assess it," Pandya said at the post-match presentation. Pandya was happy with LSG bowlers' effort to restrict a batting-heavy RCB to 126/9, albeit in a losing cause.
"We did pretty well in the first half restricting them. It was a great team effort. Happy with how we have bowled this tournament. 126, at the start of the game, we would have taken. But, we could not execute our plans," Krunal added. RCB skipper Faf du Plessis, who was also the player of the match for his 40-ball 44, said the fifty-run stand with Virat Kohli on a hard surface was a match-winning partnership.
"To have a fifty partnership in the first six overs was a match-winning partnership in the end. Batting first was important. They had four spinners, but it looked like right through, playing spin was hard work. It is a little bit easier for a captain at the Chinnaswamy. It feels like the ball is going everywhere," he said.
"I would have liked 135. That was an excellent score, and we were going towards that score. Once again, scoring is tough if you come in on this pitch. Said to the boys that it would be hard for them if we get two or three early wickets," added Du Plessis.
Du Plessis praised the efforts of his bowling unit, especially Karn Sharma (2/20) and comeback man Josh Hazlewood (2/15). "I am super happy for Karn—one of those guys who always do the hard work but does not get the recognition. Playing at Chinnaswamy is tough for a leg-spinner—unbelievable from him tonight. We have missed Hazlewood's experience. Someone like him brings so much calmness and composure. Nice way to ease him into the competition," he concluded.
