'Hey Sid! Can You Get Virat Kohli Out For Us?': Justin Langer Recalls Pre-match Conversation With Manimaran Siddharth

Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer showered praise on Manimaran Siddharth who claimed his first wicket of of IPL career by sending off Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Virat Kohli at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, night.

Kohli had struck 22 runs off 15 balls having opened the innings for RCB when Siddharth had caught with a slower delivery. The ball was going away from Kohli, who stepped out but completely misjudged the line and length.

Devdutt Padikkal took an easy catch, helping LSG get their first wicket of the match.

Siddharth thus became the latest bowler to have picked Kohli as their first IPL scalp. Before the young spinner, 10 more players have achieved the feat. The list includes the likes of Ashok Dinda, Ashish Nehra, Albie Morkel, Chetanya Nanda, Doug Bracewell, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell McClenaghan, Harpreet Brar and Dewald Brevis.

After the match, Langer applauded Siddharth for the achievement while recalling a conversation with him.

A clip of the dressing room speech of the Aussie was shared by LSG on their social media accounts.

“Never spoke to him before. I saw him bowl an arm ball and I said, ‘Hey Sid, you reckon you get Virat out for us’. He goes ‘Yes sir’. And look at what he does, he gets him out,” Langer said.

The revelation received a round of applause from the other LSG players.

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Siddharth was economical during his three-over spell, giving away just 21 runs.

LSF batted first and posted a competitive total of 181. Quinton de Kock was the star for the visitors.  The South African slammed 81 off 56 balls. Nicholas Pooran also looked in red-hot touch, scoring an unbeaten 40 which comprised five sixes and one four.

After Siddharth got the better of Kohli, the RCB batting unit collapsed. Apart from the impact substitute Mahipal Lomror, no batter could breach the 30-run mark. In the end, RCB fell 28 runs short of the target, suffering their third defeat of this season.