10 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Lucknow | Santosh Suri
LSG captain KL Rahul gestures during their game against RR in Jaipur last month. Pic/Getty Images
KL Rahul has yet to produce a big innings in the IPL this season that can convince the cricket experts and the national selectors that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper is back at his best after coming back from an injury that kept him out of the four Test matches against England. Rahul has got starts in all four IPL games but has yet to make them count. When he started the campaign with a half-century (58) against Rajasthan Royals, it seemed he had found instant form. Subsequent scores (15 v PBKS, 20 v RCB, 33 v GT) do not do justice to the reputation he has built over the years.
Despite the low scores, the LSG management is not worried about his form. Assistant coach Lance Klusener, a former South African all-rounder, said "For a player of KL [Rahul]'s calibre, a big knock is just around the corner. It is a long-drawn tournament, with the team scheduled to play 14 to 17 games. No player can be expected to perform at the optimum right through. However, an experienced and talented player like KL will always find top form sooner than later."
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Talking to media at the team hotel, Klusener had more words of praise for Rahul. "He is a fantastic captain; so cool and calculated. He never gets ruffled. Moreover, he is respected by all his teammates. The way he has been leading LSG is praiseworthy. He has handled his role of captain and wicketkeeper very well. He has made starts, but I reckon a big one is right around the corner."
When he was asked specifically about the injury status of upcoming fast bowlers Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, Klusener said that the fitness issue was not part of his responsibility as he was the "power-hitting" assistant coach of the team.
However, when he was asked about the reason for the spate of injuries in modern cricket, he said: "A fast bowler knows his body well. It is up to him to realise how much workload he can take.
During my time, there was a balance between gymming and playing on the field. But now, there is too much intense cricket all year round and it is for an individual to decide his workload."
When asked about power-hitting in T20 cricket, the coach said that it was just one aspect of batting. "Of course, everybody likes to see boundary hits. But then, a player should also have the ability to read the game and play accordingly. One also has to analyse the direction of the wind and the shorter side of the boundary to get those big hits out of the ground," Klusener said.
The former South Africa all-rounder had a special word of praise for the LSG bowling unit. "Our bowlers, especially pace bowers, are fantastic. They are working hard. Of course, injuries are a setback. But as a unit, they have been bowling very well. The way they defended [163] against GT was indeed praiseworthy," the coach said, two days ahead of LSG's next match against Delhi Capitals on Friday night at the Ekana Stadium here.
