April 15, 2025: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to not bowl Ravi Bishnoi’s fourth over in their crucial match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 14 raised a few eyebrows. Despite Bishnoi having bowled well in the earlier stages of the match, Pant opted not to use him against CSK captain MS Dhoni, whose prowess against spin had been evident throughout his career.
Dhoni, in his usual composed manner, took full advantage of the situation. He hit four boundaries and one six during his explosive 11-ball knock of 26 not out, guiding CSK to a much-needed five-wicket win, which ended their losing streak this season. This defeat was a setback for LSG, leaving them with three losses in the season so far.
Despite Bishnoi’s good performance up to that point, the decision to keep him out of the final stages puzzled many. Bishnoi, who had already taken two wickets and was economical with the ball, did not bowl his fourth over. After the match, the young spinner clarified that he respected his captain’s decision, stating that Pant had clear plans in mind.
“I came to the wicket twice, but maybe he had some plans in mind. He probably wanted to execute something else… according to me, a captain can see better and from behind the stumps, he can understand the situation better. So according to me, he took the decision that felt better to him,” said Bishnoi, defending Pant’s decision.
Pant, for his part, explained that he wanted to hold back Bishnoi for the later stages of the match, though ultimately, it was pacer Avesh Khan who was handed the task of defending five runs in the final over.
“We discussed with a lot of players, but we couldn’t take him (Bishnoi) deeper, that (bowling his last over) didn’t happen today,” Pant said during the post-match presentation.
While Bishnoi’s exclusion from the death overs may have caught attention, the overall performance of LSG’s pacers also contributed to their defeat. Shardul Thakur, who was tasked with bowling at the death, had a tough day, going for 56 runs in his four overs. Avesh Khan, though he took a wicket, conceded 32 runs from his 3.3 overs.
On the flip side, LSG’s spinners impressed with their performance. Digvesh Singh Rathi delivered a solid spell, taking a wicket and giving away just 23 runs in four overs. Aiden Markram, the off-spinner, also kept the runs in check, conceding just 25 runs and claiming a wicket.
Despite the loss, LSG remain in the top half of the points table, sitting in fourth place. Their next match is against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 19 in Jaipur, where they’ll aim to bounce back and get back to winning ways.