During the match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, LSG skipper Krunal Pandya left the field while batting at 49 runs, just one run away from his half-century. Although he appeared to be limping, he was officially retired hurt but not retired out.
The provision for retiring out exists to allow teams to strategically replace a struggling batter with another player. LSG took advantage of this rule by sending in Nicolas Pooran, a powerful hitter who had been in excellent form throughout the season. By declaring Krunal retired hurt instead of retired out, LSG ensured that he could return to bat if the situation demanded it, as per the rules.
Lol Krunal pandya Intentionally faked injury__ so that pooran comes in!__
— PRATHMEsH45 (@45Fan_Prathmesh) May 16, 2023
Krunal Pandya retired hurt on 49 in 42 balls. pic.twitter.com/d0OUxQc7Yb
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 16, 2023
Krunal pandya in today’s match pic.twitter.com/aN8lb73Yce
— Arun Singh (@ArunTuThikHoGya) May 16, 2023
Krunal Pandya has played a skipper’s inning here. Taken the responsibility to anchor LSG when wickets were falling. Hope he takes the team beyond 150 from here on. #LSGvsMI #IPL2023
— Ridhima Pathak (@PathakRidhima) May 16, 2023
Krunal Pandya injured #LSGvMI pic.twitter.com/So01QQfRZ2
— shivesh (@Shiveshjhaa) May 16, 2023
Watching Krunal Pandya getting smacked pic.twitter.com/jSNg3ozko3
— Ashwin Kumar (@ashwin_kumarV) May 16, 2023
Every team needs a physiotherapist like LSG who makes players fit within 5 minutes __#LSGvMI #krunalpandya #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/Vk4QjAIZ6X
— Fantasyfly (@thefantasyfly) May 16, 2023
This tactical decision by LSG sparked discussions among fans, who took to social media to share their opinions. Even veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hinted at the strategic move through a tweet. The move ultimately paid off for LSG as they scored 54 runs in the last three overs. However, it was Marcus Stoinis who played a pivotal role, smashing 89 runs off just 47 balls, and helping LSG reach a formidable total of 177 runs in a crucial match for both teams.
Interestingly, Ashwin himself had made history in the previous year by becoming the first player to be retired out in IPL history. Despite leaving the field due to his injury, Krunal Pandya displayed no signs of serious harm as he took the field to lead his team’s bowling attack, even bowling the first over.
In summary, LSG’s decision to retire Krunal Pandya hurt rather than out during the match against MI was seen as a strategic move to bring in a more aggressive batsman. This allowed Krunal the option to return if needed while ensuring that LSG’s batting lineup remained intact. The decision proved fruitful as LSG went on to post an impressive total, thanks to the heroics of Marcus Stoinis.
