‘Don’t want to be Mitchell Starc': Avesh Khan drops blockbuster take on comparisons after powering LSG's stunning heist
Avesh Khan drew comparisons to Mitchell Starc for how he powered a scarcely late turnaround which helped LSG win a seemingly unwinnable match.
Avesh Khan was at the centre of it all as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pulled off the most incredible of heists to beat the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) league match in Jaipur. While he ended his spell with 37 runs given away his wickets in the 18th over turned the game on its head and he then incredibly defended nine runs in the last over. He was seemingly sending in yorkers at will, leading to comparisons with what Mitchell Starc did for the Delhi Capitals against the Rajasthan Royals. But Avesh, who won player of the match for his efforts, made it clear that he is interested only in focusing on himself.
"I don't want to become Mitchell Starc, I want to become a good Avesh Khan. I always try to back every single delivery I bowl and execute yorkers which are my strength. I always think it's better to take 10 extra seconds to bowl; it will help me execute better," said Avesh during the presentation ceremony.
Avesh said that he had a clear plan going into the final over, in which he ended up conceding just seven runs and took the wicket of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, thus leading LSG to a two-run victory. Incredibly, RR needed just 46 to win off the last five overs with as many as eight wickets to spare at one point. That equation changed to 33 needed off 24 when Avesh was hit for 13 runs in the 16th over by Parag and Jaiswal.
“I never bowl looking at the scoreboard. I just focus on my execution. When it became clear that I have to defend nine runs, I knew that if they don't get a boundary in the first three balls, the game will swing our way and the batters will come under pressure,” said Avesh.
To make matters even more extroardinary, David Miller, one of the most reliable fielders in the world, had dropped a sitter off Shubham Dubey second last ball of the match.
"As soon as it went up in the air and I saw that Miller is the catcher I thought, 'of course he is going to catch this'. But then when he dropped I was thinking, oh no I have to defend four runs now. At that point there was some doubt because the ball can go off an edge and go for four. It is easier to save a six at this ground than a four. I then told myself, 'Avesh, you just have to bowl a yorker on middle and leg, nothing else'".
