According to reports, the Lucknow Super Giants, an IPL team, have decided to let go of captain KL Rahul before the auction. Since joining the team in 2022, Rahul has guided them through three seasons, two of which saw them qualify for the playoffs.
Rahul’s scoring rate has not impressed LSG, who believe it has negatively affected the results, according to a story in The Times of India.
According to an IPL source cited by the daily, “the LSG management, including mentor Zaheer Khan and coach Justin Langer, have analysed his stats and it has emerged that the team has almost lost all matches where KL has batted long and scored runs.”
That suggests that his strike rate is out of step with the game’s momentum. Scores are increasing as a result of the Impact Player rule. The source continued, “You can’t afford to have someone at the top of the order taking so long.”
However, the franchise might place an offer during the auction for Rahul.
According to the article, LSG is anticipated to retain wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, and fast bowling phenom Mayank Yadav in the top three.
Retention announcements must be made by October 31.
Rahul has already scored 1410 points in 38 games for LSG. He scored 616 runs at a strike-rate of 135.38 in 2022, but that fell to 113.22 in 2023. He had an injury halfway through the season that prevented him from playing in more than nine games. In 14 IPL 224 games, the 32-year-old scored 520 runs at a strike-rate of 136.13.
In terms of strike rate, Rahul had his finest season in 2018. He amassed 659 runs with a strike-rate of 158.41 from 14 games while playing for Punjab Kings (formerly known as Kings XI Punjab).
Rahul has participated in 132 IPL games thus far, scoring 4683 runs with a strike-rate of 134.61. He has amassed four hundred and thirty-seven fifties.