IPL 2022 | It's not that we didn't try: KL Rahul defends his approach amid criticism

Lucknow Supergiants skipper KL Rahul has defended his approach during the run-chase against the Royal Challengers Bangalore amid criticism after his side fell to a 14-run defeat and crashed out of the 15th season.

Chasing 208, LSG got off to a blazing start despite the loss of Quinton de Kock's wicket as Rahul (79 off 58 deliveries) and Manan Vohra (19 off 11 deliveries) took the score to 62 at the end of the powerplay.

However, Rahul and Deepak Hooda could only manage 49 runs between overs 7-13. With the asking rate creeping up, Hooda smashed Hasaranga for two sixes before perishing in an attempt for the third.

During the middle overs, Rahul was again sedate in his approach, scoring 19 runs in 21 deliveries between overs 7-13 before getting to his half-century with a six off Hazlewood on the 43rd delivery of the innings.

Rahul and his supporters would have hoped for a final overs assault, but it never came as he eventually perished to Josh Hazlewood in the penultimate over.

Speaking to the media after the game, Rahul reckoned that his side were just two hits away from glory.

On criticism regarding his approach in the middle-overs, Rahul lauded the RCB bowlers for not allowing him and his batters to break free.

"Now, looking back, it is just about two big hits in the middle overs, and that could have gotten us over the line. It's not that we didn't try to hit those four and sixes, we were trying, but I think in the middle, they bowled really well," 

Rahul also pinpointed the two brilliant overs bowled by Harshal Patel during the middle phase (overs 10 & 12), in which the seamer gave away just eight runs as a massive moment in the run-chase.

"In the middle, I think Harshal's (Patel) two in the middle, I think pushed us back a little bit because he went for 7 or 8 runs. He didn't give away much, and he really changed the pace when he bowled to the field, and that's where we were pushed back a little bit," Rahul added.

"Like I said, it was just two hits away, and if we couldn't that in the middle overs, probably we would have won this game," he concluded.

Earlier, RCB rode on a record-breaking 54-ball 112* from Rajat Patidar and a brilliant cameo from Dinesh Karthik to post 207 in 20 overs.

Thanks to the 14-run win, RCB have qualified for the 2nd Qualifier, where they face the Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 27.