Image Source: ANI
[Saba Sports News] The IPL 2024 season has been notably tough for KL Rahul, with the Lucknow Super Giants experiencing their sixth loss, a stark 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad that concluded with 62 balls to spare. Compounding his challenges, Rahul’s earlier decision to hasten his return to the field did not pay off, as it led to his exclusion from India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, due to ongoing fitness concerns.
In the match against SRH, Rahul could only produce a modest 29 off 33 balls, despite hitting a four and a six, as LSG posted a total of 165/4. SRH, on the other hand, effortlessly chased down this target in just 9.4 overs. Post-match, cricket legends weighed in with advice. Ian Bishop suggested on ESPNcricinfo that Rahul should “play freely,” emphasizing the psychological aspect of his game. “It’s about loosening the shackles of your mind, really being prepared. You have to select well and just be brave,” Bishop explained.
Mitchell McClenaghan also commented on Rahul’s need for a strategic shift if he wishes to prolong his career with the Indian team. “If this doesn’t wake KL up to the style of cricket he needs to play going forward, I don’t know what will,” McClenaghan noted. Echoing this, Bishop added, “He can do it.”
Further, McClenaghan stressed that Rahul seems to bear the burden of his team’s performance too heavily, akin to Virat Kohli’s earlier challenges. “It looks like he is carrying the whole team on his back, thinking that if he doesn’t bat the innings, you are not going to get a score,” he said. McClenaghan underscored the importance of supportive coaching, suggesting that messages from senior figures like Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma could be key. “It’s going to take really good coaching and structural management to give him the message that we are not going to drop you if you maintain this intent,” he concluded.
Despite the struggles, Rahul has managed to score 460 runs across 12 matches this season, maintaining a strike rate of 136.09 and securing three half-centuries.