‘Management won’t mind if Rahul plans to concentrate on batting…’ Will KL Rahul step down as LSG captain?
Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) IPL 2024 campaign hit a major hurdle after their humiliating defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With their playoff hopes fading fast, questions have been raised over the future of KL Rahul as captain for the final two games of the league stage.
Rahul, the LSG captain who fetched a record-breaking Rs 17 crore during the IPL 2022 auction, will not be retained after this year’s mega auction in 2025. However, a more immediate question hangs in the air – will he step down as captain before the end of the IPL 2024 season?
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According to IPL sources, KL Rahul might decide to give up the captaincy and focus entirely on his overall batting in the remaining two matches. The hypothesis comes after a video surfaced on social media showing LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka lashing out at KL Rahul after the disastrous loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday, May 8.
“There is a five-day gap before the next game against DC. As of now, no decision has been taken but it is understood that if Rahul plans to just concentrate on his batting for the remaining two games, the management won’t mind,” an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Lol….KL👀👀
Not cool scenes..#SRHvsLSG pic.twitter.com/lf38UGc7yi
— 𝕭aba𝗬aga (@c0ver_drive) May 8, 2024
The frustration seems to stem from a combination of factors. Rahul’s batting form, especially in the powerplay overs has not been impressive. With a poor strike rate of under 100 (29 runs off 33 balls) against SRH and a season strike rate of 136.09, his overall performance did not live up to expectations.
IPL 2024: KL Rahul Stats
| Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | Fifties | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 460 | 82 | 38.33 | 136.09 | 3 | 41 | 16 |
Moreover, LSG’s average performance under Rahul has not been convincing. LSG has played 12 matches so far in the IPL 2024, came out victorious on 12 occasions and lost 6 games. They have accumulated 12 points and have negative NRR of -0.769. While they are mathematically in the playoff race, their odds are slim and their negative net run rate similarly complicates their qualifying scenario.
If KL Rahul decides to step down, Nicholas Pooran, the team’s vice-captain and current leading run-scorer for the team, is likely to take over the reins in the remaining matches. Pooran’s overall batting performance makes him a strong contender for the interim captaincy role.
The next 5 days are important for LSG. Will Rahul choose to stay as a captain or step aside? While their playoff hope is still mathematically possible, the future of the LSG captaincy and Rahul’s role in the team remain uncertain.
