RR vs LSG, IPL 2025: Inspired Avesh Khan ‘yorks’ Rajasthan Royals as Lucknow Super Giants win by two runs

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We live in a new era, new time, new age. A phase of life where AI (artificial intelligence) threatens to storm so many bastions. Well, sport still has drama, excitement and the human element (intelligence) attached to it. It brings out emotion and passion.

One man who has soldiered on for a while and exploded with the white ball was Avesh Khan. To say that the 'Yorker King' nailed a two-run win for Lucknow Super Giants against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL cracker on Saturday (April 19) night would be stating the obvious.

Avesh Khan has been on the horizon for a long time and his IPL exploits are well-known. He had been with the RCB and Delhi Capitals before, and now his stint with LSG.

Even in IPL 2025, he came a bit late into action as he was dealing with knee trouble and needed clearance from the Centre For Excellence in Bengaluru, where he was perhaps being treated and under rehab at the same time as Jasprit Bumrah and Mayank Yadav. Well, Avesh came, saw and conquered.

In a match of fluctuating fortunes where Yashasvi Jaiswal and new kid on the block Vaibhav Suryavanshi very nearly threatened to seal the deal for RR, there was an element of uncertainty awaiting.

Fate or will, or skill, Avesh Khan showed he was going to bowl in 'death' with ice cool nerves and york the opposition out. Jeez, what a way Avesh bowled in the veritable cauldron which the Jaipur stadium had turned into.

The colourful 'Sea of Pink' in the stands had heralded the birth of a new IPL star Vaibhav Suryavanshi, just 14. His batting had defined how today's youngsters are brave, bold and do not fear. For those sadists who question on social media whether he is actually 14 and not an age cheat, that's the dirt of social media.

Destruction of a youngster comes more easily than character building on social media platforms. RR had kept him wrapped in cotton wool till now but the way the middle order and lower order choked was an abomination.

One man showed a large heart, a great skill-set, as he was asked by captain Rishabh Pant to fire the yorkers. Once again, Pant did not score runs for LSG, as they had put on 180 runs on the board. It makes no difference their skipper is not scoring runs.

Pant's leadership has been inspirational and like Shreyas Iyer he brings the best out of his team. To ensure Avesh would come to bowl the 18th and 20th overs was well-planned. Had RR won, Pant would have been roasted over coals, like the famous tandoor dishes which Lucknow is famous for.

No, one needs to sense the mood, see which bowler can steam in under pressure, more so, when RR had begun so well and consolidated. It's a shame, when Jasiwal fell, the total was 156. How the slide began was no mystery.

Avesh, obviously, must have picked up tricks from Zaheer Khan, a mean and hungry left arm pacer in his heydays. He knows a lot about the IPL and what death bowling is. Sure enough, Avesh triggered the RR slide as he trapped captain Riyan Parag for 39, got rid of Shimron Hetmyer (12), in the 20th over.

But the best Avesh had done was to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 74 runs off 52 balls (18th over). Had Jaiswal been there till the end, he would have closed it out for RR.

What transpired was LSG never came under pressure, Pant taking charge and his chatter with the players working. To say he has marshalled the side astutely would be an understatement.

With this win, LSG move to fourth spot and will continue to challenge rivals in the remaining matches. As for Avesh Khan, he becomes a bowler who has performed to potential, with his final analysis reading 4-0-37-3.

People thought a certain Mayank Yadav would be the stand-out performer for LSG. Yes, he has joined the team after a long break, under rehab. But given his lack of match experience, he should be just carried around like a tourist. The current LSG bowling crop, where Shardul Thakur and company are doing a good job should be persisted with.

Importantly, this is the second night, bowlers have won matches, after Punjab Kings had stifled RCB in their own Bengaluru backyard. In that match, left arm swing bowler Arshdeep Singh and Yuzi Chahal had conquered Bengaluru.

For those who think the IPL is a graveyard or cremation site for the bowlers, they have learnt to reinvent. Wickets will get slower and there will be something in it for the bowlers who can use brawn and brain to flummox batters.

PS: With RR collapsing and their IPL 2025 campaign now in doldrums, coach/mentor Rahul Dravid will also come under the scanner. He has offered his defence on scoail media as there is talk of a rift in the camp. Tongues will wag!