"We saw kamaal Rahul's lajawab batting" - Aakash Chopra lauds KL Rahul's knock in LSG's IPL 2024 win vs CSK

Aakash Chopra has lauded KL Rahul for playing an aggressive match-winning knock in the Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) IPL 2024 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

CSK set LSG a 177-run target in Lucknow on Friday, April 19. Rahul then smashed 82 runs off 53 deliveries as the hosts chased the target down with eight wickets and an over to spare to register their fourth win in seven games.

Reflecting on LSG's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Rahul for his much-improved strike rate in IPL 2024.

"KL Rahul - batting was absolutely stellar. We saw kamaal Rahul's lajawab batting. If you see his strike rate in the powerplay this year and compare it with the last five years, he is scoring almost 35 extra runs (per 100 balls). He used to go at a strike rate of 105-115 and is going at 154 this time," he said (4:15).

The former India opener noted that the LSG skipper played an excellent knock against a challenging attack and might have remained unbeaten had Ravindra Jadeja not taken an outstanding catch to dismiss him.

"Even in the overall strike rate, you can see that there is a definite spike. Against this bowling, especially against (Matheesha) Pathirana, Deepak Chahar and Tushar Deshpande, this team pushes you a little, but he batting extremely well. It was Jaddu's flying catch in the end, or else he would have finished the match and gone," Chopra observed.

Rahul struck nine fours and three sixes in his 82-run knock. Jadeja took a sensational one-handed catch at backward point off Matheesha Pathirana's bowling to end his innings when LSG needed 16 runs for a win.

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"If Quinton fires along with him, it is enjoyable" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul's partnership with Quinton de Kock

KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock stitched together a 134-run opening-wicket partnership. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra reckons Quinton de Kock (54 off 43) complementing KL Rahul well would have made it even more enjoyable for LSG.

"Player of the Match knock from KL Rahul and you expect him to do that. It was important for him to score runs to bring his team back on track. So KL scoring runs was good and if Quinton fires along with him, it is enjoyable. Quinton was going at a run-a-ball at the start, struggling a little, but then his wagon also caught the rhythm," he noted.

The reputed commentator also praised Nicholas Pooran (23* off 12) for ensuring his team got over the line with an over to spare.

"He (De Kock) also scored runs. He got a life but he scored a fifty and KL Rahul scored 82. Whatever job was left, Nicky P came and did that, and Chennai were handed another away defeat. They are struggling slightly away from home. They played well at home. In the end, they won by eight wickets, so it was almost a one-sided victory," Chopra said.

CSK suffered their third defeat in four away games. While they have won all three of their home games, their only away victory came in their previous match against the Mumbai Indians (MI).