KL Rahul’s strike rate in a high-scoring competition irked the team owner, who was seen having an intense chat after one of the matches.
One major absentee when the retention list of each team came on the retention deadline was KL Rahul from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He was their captain in the previous cycle and did reasonably well as a leader and player.
The 2024 edition didn’t go as planned, for LSG failed to qualify for playoffs for the first time since their admission to the league. Further, Rahul’s strike rate in a high-scoring competition irked the team owner, who was seen having an intense chat after one of the matches.
There were reports about rifts between Rahul and team owners, which resulted in LSG releasing him. During a chat with Star Sports, Rahul revealed the reason behind leaving the Lucknow-based franchise, saying he wanted to move to a team where he could get freedom.
“I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom, where the team atmosphere could be something lighter. Sometimes you need to move away and find something good for yourself. I have been out of the T20 team for a while and I know where I stand as a player and I know what I need to do to get back, so I’ll look forward to this IPL season to give me that platform where I can go back and enjoy my cricket and my aim is to obviously get back into the Indian T20 team.”
KL Rahul could be on several teams’ radar during the IPL 2025 auction
While Lucknow Super Giants released KL Rahul, he is still an asset in the shortest format, and several teams will eye him during the IPL 2025 auction. While naturally an opener, Rahul can be flexible with his batting position and might opt for a middle-order role.
Further, he keeps the wickets and has previous experience leading two franchises in the league. Teams wanting a wicketkeeper batter or a captaincy material can target KL Rahul, for he provides multiple roles alone.
A few reports suggest Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where Rahul has played previously, might bid hard for him. They have removed their previous captain Faf du Plessis, and the wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik, has retired, so a vacancy is open.
His strike rate has been an issue for a while, leading to his omissions from Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants. If Rahul can work on it, he will be as unstoppable as he used to be during the initial phase of his career.
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