Cricket

KL Rahul's Stellar IPL Performance Strengthens His Case for T20 World Cup SelectionFormer Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell McClenaghan and ex-Australian cricketer Tom Moody have hailed Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul's recent IPL performance as a testament to his credentials for a place in India's T20 World Cup squad.Rahul, who missed the first Test against England due to a quadriceps injury, has made a strong comeback in the IPL. Despite a slow start, he has showcased his class with an impressive 82-run knock against the Chennai Super Kings.McClenaghan believes that Rahul has always been a contender for the World Cup squad, and his IPL performance has only solidified his position. "KL has always been a contender; it is just how well he performs in the IPL leading up to the competition," McClenaghan said. "This is a very significant performance. I think his spirit will be high."Moody echoed McClenaghan's sentiments, stating that Rahul's recent form has put him in contention for a spot in the team. "There is a cue in that particular department that the top-order batter but keeper also. He has certainly put his name on the table," Moody added.Rahul's return to form is a major boost for the Lucknow Super Giants, who are currently in a strong position in the IPL standings. They will next face the Chennai Super Kings in Chennai, where Rahul will look to continue his impressive run and further enhance his chances of World Cup selection.

The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow witnessed a thrilling encounter on Friday night as the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) emerged victorious over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets.LSG's chase was anchored by a dominant century opening stand between captain KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock. The duo put on 106 runs in 14.3 overs, setting the tone for the chase. Rahul played a captain's knock, scoring 82 off 53 deliveries, while de Kock contributed 54 off 42 balls.CSK's bowlers struggled to contain the LSG openers, with none of them able to settle into a rhythm. The powerplay yielded 54 runs, and LSG maintained a steady scoring rate throughout the innings.After de Kock's dismissal in the 15th over, Nicholas Pooran joined Rahul at the crease. The pair added 43 runs in 29 balls, ensuring that LSG remained in control of the chase. Rahul eventually fell for 82 in the 19th over, but Pooran remained unbeaten on 23 to guide LSG home with an over to spare.For CSK, Ravindra Jadeja played a lone hand with an unbeaten 57 off 39 deliveries. Ambati Rayudu (30) and Moeen Ali (30) also made significant contributions, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to fire.LSG's bowlers were disciplined and effective, with Krunal Pandya picking up two wickets for 16 runs in his four overs. Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan also bowled economically, conceding just 29 and 32 runs respectively.The victory was LSG's fourth in five matches, while CSK suffered their third defeat in six games. LSG now sit atop the IPL standings, while CSK languish in ninth place.

KL Rahul, the skipper of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), is facing a crucial juncture in his career as he prepares to lead his team against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Ekana Stadium. With two consecutive losses and a lackluster batting performance, Rahul is under pressure to deliver both for his team and his aspirations of representing India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.Rahul's desire to bat in the middle order and keep wickets, despite LSG's abundance of world-class keepers, stems from his realization that breaking into India's top three is an arduous task. With Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav firmly entrenched in those positions, Rahul's best chance of making the Indian squad lies in establishing himself as a finisher.However, the competition for lower-order places in the Indian team is fierce, with Rishabh Pant regaining his sharpness behind the stumps and Shivam Dubey proving his worth as a big-hitter. The emergence of Rinku Singh as a finisher further complicates Rahul's path to the national team.Rahul's best performances in the IPL and T20Is have come as an opener, but his strike rate has been declining in recent seasons. In 2018, he amassed 659 runs with a strike rate of 158.41, but his strike rate has since dropped to 135.38 in 2022.To enhance his chances of making the Indian squad, Rahul needs to rediscover his destructive form as an opener. A high-impact performance in the remaining LSG games, with a strike rate of 150 or more, could convince the selectors to consider him as a backup opener or traveling reserve.

KL Rahul, the current captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has opened up about his journey as a leader and the lessons he has learned along the way.After captaining the Punjab Kings for two seasons without success, Rahul joined LSG and has led them to the playoffs in both seasons. He attributes his current success to trusting his instincts and building strong relationships with his team."Building a team is about players you pick, key positions you can't afford to miss in the auction," Rahul said. "First few years of me captaining, I am not shy to admit, I made a few mistakes as well."Rahul credits his current success to trusting his instincts, something he said he didn't do enough in his initial days as a leader. He feels he has struck the right balance between backing his gut and listening to the advice of the team management."There is so much information coming as you captain. Which one to take and which one to not and see you have a gut feel which is against what the coaches are saying," he said. "Initially, it was hard to go against that as culturally we are taught to respect the elders. Somehow things did not go according to plan and I was not being able to sleep. I have realised you need to build the trust and bond not only with the players but also with the coaches. We both want the same thing."Rahul also spoke about the leadership styles of current India skipper Rohit Sharma and predecessor Virat Kohli."Rohit brought sense of calmness in the dressing room. The passion remains the same. It also helps that people have understood their roles and have had enough time to adjust to those roles," Rahul said. "Virat had already set the benchmark on how to be on the field and Rohit carried on with a bit of calmness."Rahul also labelled MS Dhoni and Kane Williamson as the true gentlemen of the game.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their second Indian Premier League (IPL) match on March 30 in Lucknow. LSG, led by KL Rahul, will aim to improve their all-round performance after losing their opening game against Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs.LSG's bowling unit struggled in their first match, with all bowlers except Krunal Pandya leaking runs. The absence of Mark Wood and David Willey has left LSG's pace attack thin, with Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Yash Thakur expected to carry the load. Ravi Bishnoi, who is vying for a place in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad, also had an ordinary outing in the team's tournament opener.Skipper Rahul, who has decided to play as a wicketkeeper-batter with the T20 World Cup in mind, scored 58 in his comeback game and will be looking to build on that. He will hope that his opening partner Quinton de Kock returns to his belligerent best against Punjab after missing out against Royals. The team will also rely on the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, and Krunal to deliver down the order.LSG's success will also depend on the form of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who was the leading run-getter for the team last year with 408 runs.PBKS, on the other hand, have a 50-50 record so far, winning one and losing one. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side needs more fluency in the powerplay, which will come if Jonny Bairstow gets going after failing in the first two games. Dhawan, who only plays IPL to IPL, needs to up his strike rate going forward. He himself admitted to batting a bit "slowly" against RCB.Prabhsimran Singh, who came of age last season, has not been able to capitalize on his starts yet. While all-rounder Sam Curran has shown his prowess with the bat in the two matches, the left-arm seamer has been wayward with the ball. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma, who is in the running for a World Cup berth, needs to have a stellar season to convince the national selectors.In the pace bowling department, Kagiso Rabada will look for more support from Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar has been impressive, while leg-spinner Rahul Chahar needs to up his game.

KL Rahul's return to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) opener against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 24 will be a crucial test of his form and fitness. Rahul missed the last four Tests against England due to a quadriceps injury and was out for four months last year after undergoing thigh surgery.As LSG captain, Rahul will aim to lead the team to a strong start, especially after guiding them to successive playoffs in the first two seasons. He is likely to play purely as a batter, at least initially, but the additional burden of keeping could strengthen his chances of making the T20 World Cup squad.RR's Sanju Samson, Rahul's opposite number on March 24, is also a candidate for the wicket-keepers' role in the India squad for the ICC event. Samson will be keen to find his rhythm right from the start. RR came tantalizingly close to clinching a second title before Gujarat Titans broke their heart in the final in 2022.Both teams face tough decisions in selecting their best XI. RR boasts a solid batting line-up, including in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, and skipper Samson. They also have a finisher in Dhruv Jurel, who made an impressive India debut in the recent five-match Test series against England. Samson may consider strengthening the middle-order by bringing in West Indies' Rovman Powell to join countryman Shimron Hetmyer.LSG, on the other hand, will rely on Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stonis, and Nicholas Pooran to do the bulk of the scoring alongside skipper Rahul. The team will have to contend with spin wizards Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, who can run through any batting line-up on a given day.Lucknow also has a shrewd customer in leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who will be eager to put up a good show to put himself in line for a place in the T20 World Cup squad. Veteran leg-break bowler Amit Mishra is also a threat. However, their pace battery looks dim after foreign recruits Mark Wood and David Willey were ruled out and Indian talents Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan are plagued by fitness issues.The inexperience of pacer Yash Thakur and lack of game time for Shivam Mavi mean LSG might hand the responsibility to experienced Naveen ul Haq and West Indies sensation Shamar Joseph. It will be interesting to see how Justin Langer goes about his business in his first IPL assignment as coach of LSG.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released its annual player retainership list for the 2023-24 season, with notable exclusions and additions.Exclusions:Out-of-favor duo Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer have been dropped from the list. The BCCI cited their absence from Ranji Trophy matches as a reason for their exclusion. Both players were previously in Grade B and C, respectively, and will now lose access to NCA facilities and BCCI insurance.Notable Gainers:KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj have been promoted to Grade A, earning Rs 5 crore annually. Kuldeep Yadav has moved up to Grade B, earning Rs 3 crore.New Additions:The BCCI has added 11 new players to the central contracts list, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Rajat Patidar. These players will earn Rs 1 crore each.Fast Bowling Contracts:In a historic move, the BCCI has recommended five players for fast bowling contracts: Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.Retained Players:India captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah have been retained in the Grade A+ bracket, earning Rs 7 crore each.Impact:The exclusion of Kishan and Iyer has sparked discussions, while the promotions and additions have been welcomed. The new central contracts will provide financial support and access to resources for the selected players.

KL Rahul on Track for IPL Return, Eyes T20 World Cup SelectionSenior Indian batsman KL Rahul is expected to be fit for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, which begins on March 22. Rahul, who missed the last three Tests against England due to a quadriceps injury, has undergone surgery and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI's National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore.Rahul, the captain of the Lucknow SuperGiants, is eager to prove his worth in the IPL as he aims to earn a spot in India's T20 World Cup team as a wicketkeeper-batsman. A source close to the player revealed that Rahul consulted top medical experts in London before returning to India on Sunday."He is keen to prove his worth in the IPL as he's in line for selection in India's T20 World Cup team as a 'keeper-bat," the source told TOI.Rahul's injury woes began during the England tour last year, where he suffered a quadriceps strain in the second Test at Lord's. He underwent surgery in Germany in August and has been working diligently on his recovery since then.The Lucknow SuperGiants will kick off their IPL campaign against the Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur on March 24. Rahul's return to fitness will be a major boost for the franchise, which will be looking to make a strong impact in its debut season.If Rahul can regain his form and fitness in the IPL, he will be a strong contender for a place in India's T20 World Cup squad. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Australia later this year, and Rahul's experience and leadership qualities could prove invaluable for the team.