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IPL 2024 has been simply disappointing for KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper-batter oversaw Lucknow Super Giants crash to their sixth defeat this season on Wednesday. It was a rather one-sided affair as Sunrisers Hyderabad romped to a 10-wicket victory, with 62 balls to spare.
Prior to IPL 2024, Rahul’s T20 World Cup selection was already hanging in doubt due to fitness issues, but the LSG captain fast-tracked himself. But the decision proved to backfire as he missed out on a seat in Team India’s squad for the ICC event.
Against SRH, he could only muster 29 off 33 balls, packed with one four and a six, as LSG reached 165/4 in 20 overs. Meanwhile, SRH chased down the target with ease, reaching 167/0 in 9.4 overs.
Speaking after the match, West Indies legend Ian Bishop had a suggestion for Rahul and asked him to ‘play freely’. “It is just loosening the shackles of your mind, really being prepared. I think he has to be prepared to say well, we may lose a couple of games, we may get rolled over as Pat Cummins has said. But if you have the resources and that’s the other thing, you have got to have the resources to play that way. You have to select well and just be brave, because that’s the way the game has gone on most occasions. There are times at the Wankhede the other night, you will have a pitch that demands a little bit more circumspection for example. But generally the way the game has gone in this IPL, you have got to be able to play freely, have the resources to go there and play freely,” he said, on ESPNcricinfo.
Meanwhile, Mitchell McClenaghan felt Rahul need to upgrade himself, if he wanted to continue his India career. He said, “I think if this doesn’t wake KL up to the style of cricket he needs to play going forward to be successful and to continue to play for India, you know I don’t know what will. I think…”
“He can do it”, Bishop replied.
Responding to Bishop, McClenaghan said, “Absolutely he can. I think he is got to get past, very similar to what we have seen with Virat (Kohli) you know like how you are the only person who can score runs and he’s got to go right I need to score runs and if I am going to miss out, it is okay, trust the other guys to do the job. That’s what it looks like, 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, and if he does get out, they are long way behind where they need be.”
“It is going to take a really good coaching structural management to give him the message that we are not going to drop you, even a message from the top. I don’t see any harm in Dravid (Rahul), Rohit (Sharma) and the likes actually saying we are not going to drop you if you have this intent all the time. If they can unlock that, he is one of the best players going around and he will bounce back from this,” he added.
This season, Rahul has managed 460 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 136.09. He has also registered three half-centuries.
