xtratime Logo

Xtra Time Web Desk: Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Krunal Pandya faced a challenging outing against the Delhi Capitals, enduring a series of setbacks both with bat and ball. Despite a low score and contributing to LSG's batting collapse, his bowling performance faced severe scrutiny, particularly from debutant Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Fraser-McGurk, in his first over, was dealt with calmly by Prithvi Shaw, who managed two boundaries. However, in a dramatic turn of events during the 13th over, Fraser-McGurk unleashed a hattrick of sixes against Krunal, leaving the crowd astonished.

Read More: IPL 2024: MS Dhoni’s fan’s heartfelt sacrifice for IPL tickets goes viral, watch here

Attempting to retaliate, Krunal resorted to an unconventional strategy, surprising everyone with a bouncer to the young batsman. The left-arm spinner's second over commenced with an arm ball, only for Fraser-McGurk to dispatch it effortlessly over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. Undeterred, he followed it up with another six over deep extra cover on the subsequent delivery. Despite varying his deliveries, Krunal's efforts fell short as Fraser-McGurk capitalized on the pace and dispatched the ball over long-off for his third consecutive six.

In a bid to disrupt the rhythm, Krunal persisted with his pace, delivering a bouncer at 116 kmph. However, Fraser-McGurk's anticipation faltered, resulting in a duck under the ball. The decision was met with disapproval from skipper KL Rahul, as the delivery was deemed wide, further adding to Krunal's woes.

Krunal's familiar bouncer: A recurring strategy

Krunal's recent delivery of a bouncer against Jake Fraser-McGurk during the IPL 2024 match wasn't his first. He previously surprised spectators with a similar tactic in a T20I game against West Indies in 2018, leaving notable batters like Carlos Brathwaite, Rohit Sharma, and Dinesh Karthik astonished. Additionally, he employed the same strategy against Punjab Kings' Liam Livingstone.

Read More: IPL 2024: Adam Gilchrist criticizes Rishabh Pant’s umpire dispute during DC vs LSG match

Krunal's Costly Performance

Despite enduring two expensive overs, captain KL Rahul entrusted Krunal with another over, considering the presence of right-handed batters Tristan Stubbs and Shai Hope at the crease. While he managed to prevent boundaries, he still conceded eight runs in the over, bringing his overall figures to 45 runs conceded from three overs.