Cricket

KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants Exit Rumors Intensify Amidst Franchise DiscordLucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul's future with the franchise has become uncertain, with reports suggesting a potential exit before the 2025 Indian Premier League season. The rift between Rahul and the Lucknow-based franchise reportedly stems from an incident involving an animated discussion between franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka and the team skipper.Despite initial denials of any disagreement, sources indicate that the incident has significantly strained the relationship between the two parties. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Rahul's former team, is reportedly interested in reuniting with the opening batsman. However, it remains unclear whether Lucknow Super Giants will retain Rahul as their captain ahead of the upcoming mega auction.Rahul has led Lucknow Super Giants since their debut season in 2022, guiding them to consecutive playoff appearances. However, the team's performance in the knockout rounds has been disappointing, with early exits in both seasons. The 2024 season marked a low point for the franchise, as they finished seventh in the league standings.Rahul's departure from Lucknow Super Giants would be a significant blow to the team, given his leadership and batting prowess. The 31-year-old is one of the most consistent performers in the IPL, having scored over 6,000 runs in the tournament. His return to RCB would be a homecoming of sorts, as he played for the Bangalore-based franchise from 2013 to 2016.The potential exit of Rahul from Lucknow Super Giants adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming IPL season. With the mega auction set to take place, teams will be looking to bolster their squads with top-quality players. Rahul's availability will undoubtedly be a hot topic in the auction room, with several franchises likely to be interested in acquiring his services.

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.

KL Rahul's Captaincy in Jeopardy as Lucknow Super Giants Face Playoff EliminationLucknow Super Giants' (LSG) dismal performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad has cast a shadow over KL Rahul's captaincy, with rumors swirling that he may step down to focus on his batting.Despite being signed for a record Rs 17 crore, Rahul's leadership has come under scrutiny due to LSG's poor showing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team's chances of reaching the playoffs are virtually non-existent, and Rahul's slow batting in the Powerplay has been a major concern.Sources within the IPL suggest that Rahul may voluntarily relinquish the captaincy to improve his batting performance in the remaining two games. The management is reportedly open to this decision, given the team's current situation.Following LSG's heavy defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, videos emerged on social media showing an agitated conversation between team owner Sanjiv Goenka and Rahul. The incident further fueled speculation about Rahul's future as captain.Rahul's batting has been a major disappointment for LSG. In 12 games, he has scored 460 runs at a strike rate of 136.09. His slow starts have hindered the team's momentum, particularly in the Powerplay.Despite their mathematical chances of reaching the playoffs, LSG's poor net run-rate (-0.760) makes it highly unlikely. If Rahul does step down, vice-captain Nicholas Pooran is likely to take over for the remaining two games.Pooran has been LSG's most impactful batter this season, scoring 306 runs at a strike rate of 154.55. His aggressive approach could provide the spark that LSG desperately needs.

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.

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.