Cricket

KL Rahul's leadership has been lauded by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fielding coach Jonty Rhodes, who praised Rahul's efforts since taking charge of the franchise in its inaugural season in 2022. Under Rahul's captaincy, LSG made it to the playoffs in the first two seasons but finished seventh in the 2024 edition, raising questions about his future with the team. However, discussions between team owner Sanjiv Goenka and Rahul about his potential retention have been reportedly positive.Rhodes, speaking to India Today, highlighted the challenges Rahul faced leading a new franchise and commended his ability to establish a competitive team culture. "I think if you look at a record as a captain of a brand-new franchise, getting into the playoffs every time like he has, it's been something that goes a long way towards his captaincy," Rhodes said. "The way that he leads the team and the sort of setup and the approach that he has."Rhodes noted that while other IPL captains like Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni have multiple trophies, Rahul's accomplishments with LSG should not be underestimated. "From LSG's point of view, it might just be one thing getting into the final, winning the trophy," Rhodes added, drawing parallels to Mumbai Indians' early struggles before their eventual success.Rhodes compared LSG's current phase to Mumbai Indians’ initial years in the IPL, where they did not make the playoffs in the first two seasons and only claimed their first title in 2013. "It then turns out MI didn't win a trophy for quite a few years at the start. Once they learned how to win trophies, they kept going," Rhodes explained. "I think from that point of view, he's done an excellent job at the helm, with a brand-new franchise, setting up a new culture, with new owners. And that I think is an indication of how well he's captained the team in a setup where there are players from all over the country in India who are very different and all over the world."LSG's ownership now faces critical decisions ahead of the upcoming mega auction as they decide whether to retain Rahul. Given the end of the three-year cycle, the team's management will need to weigh Rahul's past successes against recent setbacks to determine the franchise's path forward. Despite the recent seventh-place finish, Rhodes' remarks emphasize confidence in Rahul's capacity to lead LSG effectively.

Lucknow Super Giants Captain KL Rahul Meets with Franchise Owner Sanjiv GoenkaLucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul recently met with team owner Sanjiv Goenka at the franchise's office in Kolkata. The meeting, which lasted approximately an hour, was the first formal interaction between the two since their animated conversation following LSG's loss to SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 8.While the specifics of the discussion remain undisclosed, sources indicate that Rahul's retention was a key point of focus. Rahul has captained LSG for three seasons and has been a key figure in the team's success. However, with IPL retention talks gaining momentum, there has been speculation about Rahul's potential return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), his former franchise.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the official retention policy ahead of the December auction. It remains unclear how many players each team will be allowed to retain, and the Right to Match (RTM) option could also influence franchises' decisions regarding top retentions.Rahul's visit to Kolkata also coincides with news of the franchise's plans to bring in Zaheer Khan as a mentor. The former India pacer's appointment is expected to be confirmed soon. Zaheer will be working alongside Justin Langer, who will continue as head coach.Rahul's meeting with Goenka comes amidst a busy schedule for the cricketer. He was recently part of India's One Day International (ODI) squad that toured Sri Lanka and is set to compete in the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru. In the Duleep Trophy, Rahul will represent Team A, captained by Shubman Gill.Neither Rahul, Goenka, nor any official from LSG provided immediate comments following the meeting. However, the meeting is seen as a positive sign for the franchise, which is looking to build on its success in the IPL.

KL Rahul's performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a subject of scrutiny, with some questioning his strike rate and overall impact on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). However, assistant coach Lance Klusener has defended Rahul, stating that the skipper has not performed "bad at all" and has been hindered by circumstances.Rahul, who is also the team's captain, has scored 465 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 136.36, including three fifties. Despite his efforts, LSG find themselves on the brink of elimination.Klusener believes that Rahul has had to curb his attacking instincts due to wickets falling around him. "We've lost wickets around him. We haven't allowed him to play his natural game," Klusener said.He added that Rahul has often had to rebuild the innings, which has prevented him from playing his natural, more aggressive game. "If you look at the circumstances, he's had to rebuild a lot of the time while he's been batting, so the batting group around him haven't done him too many favours either," Klusener said.Klusener also refused to put the blame on any specific reason as to why the team failed to perform up to its potential. "I'm a big believer that the bowling group plays a huge role in winning T20 games. But there's no blame at anyone's door," he said."It's just a consistency as a group that has led us down this year. We haven't scored enough runs and again, we haven't taken enough wickets as well. You put all that together and that's why you end up where we are on the log."Despite their struggles, Klusener said LSG still have a chance of making the IPL playoffs if they beat Mumbai Indians on Friday and other results go their way. "We're not resigned to any fact. We're just in a position where we can only make sure that we get over the line tomorrow. We've had enough opportunities over the course of the competition to make sure we don't have to rely on others," he said.

KL Rahul's Struggles Under Scrutiny as Lucknow Super Giants Face Crucial ClashLucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul has come under intense scrutiny ahead of their pivotal match against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. The team's recent loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad has raised concerns about Rahul's leadership and his own batting form.Rahul's T20 game has been underwhelming this season, with his 460 runs coming at a strike rate of 136. This has fallen short of expectations, especially given his exclusion from India's T20 World Cup squad. Critics have questioned his "lack of intent" and his inability to adapt to the power-hitting trends of modern T20 cricket.Despite the criticism, LSG management remains steadfast in their support of Rahul. Head coach Justin Langer has compared him to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, while assistant coach Lance Klusener has defended his approach at the top of the order.Klusener acknowledged that Rahul's role as an anchor has left the rest of the batting lineup with a heavy burden. However, he attributed Rahul's struggles to the team's frequent loss of wickets, which has prevented him from building momentum."It's been exceptionally tough for him this IPL because we've kept losing wickets, which hasn't allowed him to kick on," Klusener said. "He feels he is always having to rebuild."As Rahul prepares for the crucial match against Delhi Capitals, LSG hopes he can rediscover his form and lead the team to victory. The Kotla strip is known for its power-hitting potential, and a sedate Rahul could put LSG at a disadvantage.