RCB and LSG were involved in one of the most dramatic and heated matches of the 2023 IPL season.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were involved in one of the most heated matches of the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The match was marked by tension between RCB and India stalwart Virat Kohli and LSG and Afghanistna all-rounder Naveen-ul-Haq. It ended up spilling over after the match as the two sides shook hands and all of it led to an intense stand off between Kohli and his former India teammate and LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir.
Now Andy Flower has crossed the divide, being appointed as head coach of RCB. The Zimbabwe batting great was head coach of LSG last season but was not involved in any of the heated scenes during that particular match. RCB put out a tweet announcing the appointment and LSG replied to it, wishing their former head coach well.
LSG’s tweet for Flower may have been a harmless one but fans decided to have some fun with it. There were a few fans who suggested to LSG that they now trade Naveen to RCB.
The two sides had played a couple of thrilling encounters of contrasting nature in the season. In the first game in Bengaluru, RCB scored 212/2 thanks to half centuries from Kohli, captain Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell. However, LSG ended up chasing down the mammoth target with just one wicket and no balls to spare. LSG’s chase was powered by a blinder of an innings from Nicholas Pooran as he scored 62 in just 19 balls.
Later in the season, RCB were restricted to a paltry total of 126/9. Naveen had starred for LSG with the ball, taking three wickets. However, RCB then put up a stellar performance with the ball and won the match by 18 runs.
“Excited to be reunited with Faf”
Flower had been working as a consultant with the Australian men’s team till the Ashes. He has won PSL, The Hundred, ILT20, and T10 as head coach. He was a hugely successful coach for England, winning home and away Ashes campaigns as well as the T20 World Cup in 2010. Under his tenure, England also became the No.1-ranked Test team in the world. Apart from his credentials as a coach, Flower was regarded as one of the best batters of his generation and is widely rated as the greatest Zimbabwe player of all time. He is the first from his country to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.
Flower is reuniting with captain Du PLessis. The pair had previously worked together for the St Lucia Kings in the CPL. “We have an exciting roster of players to work with, and I recognise and will relish both the amazing opportunity with RCB but also the responsibility that comes with the role. It is a great challenge, and I can’t wait to get started.
“I recognise the work put in by Mike Hesson and Sanjay Bangar, who are two coaches I respect, and I look forward to the challenge of taking RCB to new heights. I’m particularly excited to be reunited with Faf. We have worked very well together in the past and I look forward to forging our partnership and relationship into something bigger and better,” Flower said in a statement.‘