Lucknow Super Giants skipper K L Rahul was all praise for young Delhi Capitals batter Jake Frazer-McGurk, saying the Australian batter took his team by surprise in Friday's IPL match in Lucknow.
Delhi Capitals overhauled LSG's 167-run score in 18.1 overs for the loss of just four wickets, with Frazer-McGurk slamming a 35-ball 55 on his IPL debut and sharing a 77-run partnership with Rishabh Pant (41).
"McGurk -- the new guys when they come in -- was very unknown. We've watched a lot of videos of him but he hit the ball really well; credit to him," said Rahul.
Frazer-McGurk said he was getting frustrated sitting on the bench and enjoyed batting in his first match.
"Spent five-six games on the sidelines itching to get out there, stoked! Was just more about trying not to swing too hard and lose shape. That's what I've done over the last 12 months.
"I'm so happy to be here, different world in terms of cricket. Never seen anything like it, to be able to savour eight weeks, hopefully more, is amazing," added the 22-year-old Aussie.
Giving an update on express pacer Mayank Yadav, whose tearaway pace has rattled many a batters in IPL 2024, Rahul said, "Mayank is not too bad; he looks good, feeling good but we also want to make sure we don't rush him back in too early.
"He's young, we need to protect his body. He's itching to go, we just have to pull him back a little, maybe a couple of more games, before he comes back," added Rahul, who scored 39 in the match.
The home team skipper conceded his team fell a good 20 runs short.
"We were 15-20 short, should've capitalised to get 180. There was a bit of help for seamers, odd-ball was keeping low and Kuldeep (Yadav) put the brakes on our batting group. We fought till the end."
Kuldeep was the most successful DC bowler, returning figures of 3/20 in four overs.
"We were in the game till the 10th over, then a dropped catch and then Rishabh-McGurk took it away from us. In hindsight, can wonder if we could've done something differently (with Nicholas Pooran's batting position)," said Rahul.
Kuldeep, who was adjudged Player of the Match, said he had got injured in the first IPL outing and still played the second game, which aggravated things and he had to sit out for the next three games.
"Wasn't fit for a couple of games, got injured in the first game. Was difficult to see the team struggle in the middle overs. (Today) the execution was right. I was clear with my plan, length matters a lot as a spinner," said Kuldeep.
