"We really needed his four overs" - LSG all-rounder Jason Holder hails K Gowtham for significant impact in IPL 2022 clash against DC

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Jason Holder has admitted that off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham’s presence had a huge impact on the IPL team’s fortunes in their IPL 2022 match against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday.

Gowtham was drafted into the playing XI as a replacement for the struggling Manish Pandey. He gave LSG a big breakthrough in the eighth over of Delhi’s innings, sending back a well-set Prithvi Shaw (61 off 34). DC lost momentum after the opener’s dismissal and only managed to score 149 for 3.

At a post-match conference, Holder was asked about the decision to give the eighth over to Gowtham ahead of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Responding to the Sportskeeda query, he said:

“I guess you have to ask the skipper that question. He was picked to bowl and he is a capable batsman too. We really needed his four overs and he was able to come in and break the partnership for us. In T20 cricket, it’s not about how you start, but more or less how you finish. Any bowler can get hit at any stage of any match. It’s just a matter of staying composed and getting through.”

While Shaw was dismissed in the eighth over, he got DC off to a rollicking start. On how Lucknow plotted the fightback after the pounding they received at the hands of the Delhi opener, Holder said it was all about sticking to the basics. He elaborated:

“After I bowled the first over, I said to the guys there wasn’t much swing. I knew that we needed to be really tight in the powerplay. It was that kind of a wicket where you can get on top of the bowlers in the powerplay because there is not much swing. Although they got a really good start, we knew we could peg them back in the middle.”

The former West Indies captain attributed the comeback to excellent teamwork, with both pacers and spinners contributing. He added:

“We’ve got some clever spinners. Bishnoi was excellent for us. Gowtham coming in for his first game was excellent as well. Andrew Tye came in at the backend of the powerplay and into the middle overs and did an outstanding job for us as well. It was a real team effort, the way we fought back. Credit to each and every individual.”

While Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan added an unbroken 75 for the fourth wicket, neither of them could take the attack to the LSG camp, as a result of which Delhi ended up at least 20 runs short.

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“Just tried not to be too predictable” - LSG pacer Jason Holder

While the spinners and Tye did a good job for LSG, Holder also chipped in with an economical spell, conceding only 30 runs in his four overs. He bowled quite a few slower balls and kept the DC batters in check. Speaking about his game plan with the ball, the tall pacer said:

“Yeah, just tried to mix it up as much as possible. The nature of the wicket was such that a few balls gripped and then it was just about nailing yorkers at the backend. Just tried not to be too predictable and be as versatile as I possibly can.”

After the bowlers restricted DC to 149 for 3, Quinton de Kock smashed 80 off 52 as LSG won the contest by six wickets.