KL Rahul, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, may come out as an outdated player in the T20 crazy league of youth and creativity, having been away from the game for a year, Rahul returned to it to start the 2024 IPL season, even though the BCCI had initially advised him to return to retention given his previous physical handicaps. He has not featured in India's T20Is since the 2022 World Cup and is on the list of open alternatives. Rahul was expected to push in the middle order position with the gloves. However, the 31-year-old opted to return to his preferred starting position of goalkeeper rather than ahead of his more experienced 'keeper-mates' Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran.
Rahul, who played most of the match as a cautious pacer, could not help LSG bowl out Rajasthan Royals by 194 runs at a two-pace Jaipur ground last Sunday despite a 44-ball 58. Rahul "didn't think the target was much" when he was 15 off 15 deliveries at the end of the PowerPlay with LSG on 47 for three. Only ten things were off. Rahul also stated that "no team has yet broken the PowerPlays" after the loss. This would sit well alongside his familiar "strike rate is overrated" chips.
It is interesting to note that Lucknow's supposed reserve in the PowerPlay can be interpreted as a microcosm of Rahul's impact and philosophy as an opener. He amassed 1,432 runs at PowerPlays Lucknow at a strike rate of 119.07. Rahul bowled 326 of the 1116 deliveries he faced (29.21 per cent) and scored 355 of them (24.79 per cent). Despite averaging a solid 45.14 over the previous three seasons, Rahul is the lowest among the top 15 run-scorers with a strike total of 127.93. Devon Conway and Shubman Gill both have better averages than Rahul while still striking more than 140 times in each game.
Rahul is without a fifty in the chase that will win the match for Lucknow. Pundits and fans have taken offense at his meager three fifties in chases since joining LSG as an opener. This ire has recently been sparked by his knock against Rajasthan and, more memorably, in the IPL 2022 Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rahul led a tough chase of 208 runs and finished with 79 off 58 deliveries before being dismissed in the last over. LSG lost by 14 runs and were eliminated. Rahul's most productive LSG partner, de Kock, amassed 655 runs in 20 innings with a strike rate of 146 or higher, unlike his run as an opener.
