Gautam Gambhir and the Lucknow Super Giants masterfully used the Impact Player rule and it proved to be BANG ON.
On the second day and in Match 3 of the IPL 2023, which for the first time in the IPL history sees the introduction of the Impact Player rule, the fans saw a great improvisation from Lucknow Super Giants and its mentor Gautam Gambhir when they brought on Krishnappa Gowtham for the last ball of their innings against Delhi Capitals to replaced Ayush Badoni, who has just been dismissed on 19.5.
On the 3rd and 4th balls of the last over of Lucknow based framchise’s innings, bowled by DC seamer Chetan Sakariya, Ayush Badoni smashed two consecutive sixes, but got out on the 5th ball.
The next batsman announced in the line-up at the toss was Mark Wood. However, Lucknow Super Giants made a tactical masterstroke and it seems that Gautam Gambhir too was involved in this.
In the first two matches of the season, all the 4 teams had used their IPP at the start of the second innings or during the second innings of the match.
Super Giants, however, used their Impact Player on the last ball of the first innings of the match, and it created a big impact.
Krishnappa Gowtham replaced the just dismissed Ayush Badoni, not just at the crease but in the match as well, as the Impact Player. This means that now Badoni doesn’t have to come to do fielding while Lucknow aim to use the off-spin bowling services of Gowtham.
But, Krishnappa Gowtham also made an instant impact on his first and the only ball he got to face: he smoked Sakariya for a six down the ground to take Super Giants score to 193, which seems above par on the pitch on which the ball is holding and gripping.
This move from Lucknow Super Giants and its mentor Gauti was applauded by fans, who loved the massive impact Gowtham made in just one ball after coming on as the Impact Player.
Gambhir sent Gowtham as impact player who was impactful instantly??? pic.twitter.com/0FIzG7IEE8
— Megha (@kyayaarmegha) April 1, 2023
Badoni got out with one ball left in the innings.
– LSG subbed him for Gowtham & he smashed a six in the final ball.
Excellent mastermind from Gambhir & Andy Flower. pic.twitter.com/EnJKm6fkzt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 1, 2023
Ayush Badoni got out on 19.5.
Krishnappa Gowtham replaced him as an impact player and finished the innings with a six.
– A great use of an impact player by LSG.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 1, 2023
Impact player K Gowtham 6(1)* pic.twitter.com/gKtYTIoWMd
— El Niño 🇮🇳 (@suppandiiii) April 1, 2023
Pure chaos! Krishnappa Gowtham comes in as Lucknow Super Giants' impact player for one delivery
Hits a massive six over long-on and then runs back in to prepare to come out and defend the score. LSG finishes its innings with a bang! #LSGvDC | #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/XQxOncJR1q
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) April 1, 2023
Gowtham took the tag "impact player" way too seriously.
SR of 600.#LSGvDC #IPL2023 #CricketTwitter
— Akash (@Akashkumarjha14) April 1, 2023
DC have also called upon Mumbai all-rounder Aman Hakim Khan to replace Khaleel Ahmed as an Impact Player.
Meanwhile, Giants have Kyle Mayers to thank for their gigantic total of 193 as the left-handed West Indies opener smacked 73 runs off 38 balls with the help of 7 sixes and 2 fours.
LSG vs DC Playing XI and Substitute list for Impact Player:
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran(wk), Ayush Badoni, Mark Wood, Jaydev Unadkat, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): David Warner(c), Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Rilee Rossouw, Sarfaraz Khan(wk), Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar
Lucknow Super Giants substitutes: Prerak Mankad, Krishnappa Gowtham, Yash Thakur, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra.
Delhi Capitals substitutes: Aman Hakim Khan, Manish Pandey, Praveen Dubey, Lalit Yadav, Abishek Porel.
