Kevin Pietersen has come out swinging in defense of Ravindra Jadeja after the Indian all-rounder was criticized for his performance in the Chennai Super Kings‘ (CSK) loss to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday, April 23. Jadeja, who batted at number 4, struggled to score runs and remained ineffective with the ball, leading some to question his performance.
Pietersen Joins Clarke in Backing Jadeja
Jadeja’s knock of 16 runs from 19 balls and wicketless bowling spell of 2 overs for 16 runs were far from his usual calibre. This lacklustre performance came after his impressive fifty at the same batting position during the reverse fixture against LSG in Lucknow.
Appearing on Star Sports, Pietersen aligned himself with Michael Clarke’s stance of not criticizing Jadeja. He emphasized the brilliance of Marcus Stoinis‘ batting display, acknowledging that LSG deserved credit for their victory.
“You’re 100% right,” Pietersen said, agreeing with Clarke. “Also, what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to give credit to Marcus Stoinis.” He continued, highlighting Stoinis’ pivotal role in the chase, stating, “Chennai did everything right. Last night, they got beaten by Marcus Stoinis. It was him in a stand-alone scoring one of the great hundreds of the IPL.”
Defense of Jadeja: A Star and a First Pick for India
Pietersen passionately defended Jadeja, urging fans to refrain from criticism. “So forget pointing your fingers. You cannot point a finger at Ravindra Jadeja like I am not having it at all. Absolutely not. That guy is an absolute star,” he declared. “He’s one of the first picks for India. I mean, what he’s done in the IPL for India. Leave the guy alone. Stoinis beat the Yellow Army yesterday,” Pietersen concluded.
Pietersen’s comments come in the wake of LSG’s dominant win over CSK. Stoinis’ unbeaten knock of 124 runs off just 63 deliveries, laced with boundaries and sixes, steered LSG to a resounding six-wicket victory. This knock not only secured victory for LSG but also stands as the highest individual score ever recorded in an IPL run chase.
Earlier in the match, CSK had set a formidable target of 211 runs, built around Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s unbeaten century (108) and a quickfire fifty from Shivam Dube. However, Stoinis’ phenomenal batting display ultimately proved too much to overcome for CSK.
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