Sunil Gavaskar delivered a sharp, memorable dig at Lucknow Super Giants’ young pacer Akash Singh during the IPL 2026 clash against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday, after the Royals’ batters took him apart in a high-scoring contest. Gavaskar also referenced Akash’s wicket celebrations from Lucknow’s previous match against Chennai Super Kings, adding a cheeky reminder about “humility” as he questioned where a paper prop had ended up.
Gavaskar’s punchy take on Akash Singh’s outing
In commentary, the India batting great didn’t hold back on Akash Singh’s performance. He pointed out that despite the fast bowler managing to claim a wicket, the runs he conceded quickly turned the over-by-over battle against him.
- Akash Singh finished with figures of 54 runs in 3 overs, with one wicket taken but heavy criticism for the damage done.
- Gavaskar highlighted the contrast between a single wicket on one ball and the ease with which batters can hit for boundaries across multiple deliveries.
- He noted that Akash had allowed 48 runs in 17 balls, as RR batters repeatedly punished him.
Gavaskar’s remarks went beyond cricketing numbers. He brought up Akash’s celebration in LSG’s last game versus Chennai Super Kings, where he was seen taking a paper from his pocket after each wicket. Gavaskar then asked the youngster to show a touch of humility, joking about the whereabouts of the paper.
- During the LSG vs CSK match, Akash reportedly took a paper from his pocket after every wicket.
- On Tuesday’s commentary, Gavaskar questioned where the “chit/paper” was now, saying it was likely still in the pocket.
- Gavaskar’s message was delivered as a light-hearted challenge: “I like a bit of humility.”
He also referenced how wicket moments can come quickly, but scoring pressure mounts when batters start timing the ball consistently—an assessment that neatly matched how RR’s batting unfolded.
LSG’s 220/5 sets the stage
Rajasthan Royals’ chase was built on momentum from the start, but it began with Lucknow Super Giants posting a sizeable total after being sent in. Sent in to bat, Mitchell Marsh produced a commanding innings to drive LSG to 220 for five.
- Mitchell Marsh struck 96 off 57 balls, powering Lucknow Super Giants to 220 for five.
- Marsh and Josh Inglis put on 109 runs off 50 balls for the opening wicket, with Inglis making 60 off 29 balls.
- Marsh then shared a further 64-run stand off 42 balls with LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who scored 35.
Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal steer RR to victory
Chasing 221, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered the kind of knock that changes the feel of a match—smashing 93 off 38 balls. The innings came with a clear statement: Akash Singh was under sustained pressure, and RR’s batters made sure it wasn’t a contest for long.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 93 off 38 balls to overshadow Mitchell Marsh’s 96.
- Stand-in captain Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed 43.
- Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal stitched a 75-run partnership off 39 balls.
- After Jaiswal’s departure, Sooryavanshi formed a 105-run alliance with Jitesh Sharma.
- Jitesh Sharma finished 53 not out, and RR completed the chase in 19.1 overs.
Rajasthan Royals ultimately won by seven wickets, a result that kept their IPL playoff hopes alive on Tuesday.
Key bowling notes for RR
While RR’s batting did the heavy lifting in the chase, their bowlers also contributed when Lucknow was setting the target. Leg-spinner Yash Raj Punja was singled out for taking two wickets.
- Yash Raj Punja took 2/35 and snapped up two wickets during LSG’s innings.
