KL Rahul will not be stripped of Lucknow Super Giants captaincy this season. RevSportz has learnt that the opener will continue to lead the side in the remaining IPL matches this term. A decision on whether Rahul will be retained at the 2025 mega auction will be taken later.
LSG aren’t out of the playoff race yet. They have 12 points from as many matches and must win their remaining two group league fixtures to give themselves a chance to progress further. Their net run rate, -0.769, however, could prove to be a big deterrent. LSG’s net run rate took a nosedive after their demoralising 10-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. Sunrisers chased down LSG’s 165-4 in 9.4 overs, with Travis Head scoring 89 not out off 30 balls and Abhishek Sharma remaining unbeaten on 75 off 28 deliveries.
After the game, Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka were seen having an animated conversation on the field. RevSportz understands that certain aspects of the game and the team’s performance were pointed out.
After acquiring the franchise for a record sum of Rs 7,090 crore in 2021, LSG roped in Rahul in a pre-auction deal for Rs 17 crore and made him the skipper. The team reached the playoffs under Rahul in 2022 and 2023.
Performances this year, though, have been inconsistent and the captain hasn’t quite hit his straps. So far, Rahul has scored 460 runs in 12 matches at a sub-par strike-rate of 136.09. He has also lost his place in the Indian T20I team.
In the match against Sunrisers, Rahul got stuck and laboured to a 33-ball 29, on a pitch where Head and Sharma ran riot. In the previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders, the LSG skipper scored 25 off 21 balls, when his team was chasing 236 for victory.
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Even as cricket-lovers continue to debate KL Rahul’s future in Lucknow colours, we look back at three of the IPL’s biggest controversies – from Lalit Modi’s ouster to a ‘cricket enthusiast’ and Slapgate.#ViratKohli #IPL2024 https://t.co/RvSIOxCdzU
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) May 11, 2024
With a mega auction coming up, every team is expected to undergo a bit of regeneration next season. Will there be a change of guard at LSG? The franchises will start strategizing at the end of this year’s tournament. It is learnt that a superstar is on LSG’s radar.
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