KL Rahul has found himself under scrutiny after Lucknow Super Giants’ dismal performance against Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Former Australian pacer Brett Lee has expressed concerns over Rahul’s batting approach, questioning whether the pressure of missing out on India’s T20 World Cup squad is affecting his game.
In the match against KKR, Rahul’s sluggish innings of 25 off 21 deliveries put Lucknow in a difficult position. The Super Giants were chasing a mammoth total of 235 and needed a solid start from their openers. However, Rahul’s inability to accelerate the innings early on put pressure on the middle order, eventually leading to Lucknow’s downfall.
Lee believes that Rahul’s strike rate of 119 against the KKR bowlers was insufficient, especially considering the team’s need for quick runs. He also pointed out that Rahul’s strike rate in the tournament has dipped significantly compared to his earlier performances.
“I think there’s a lot of pressure on him because he hasn’t scored the runs he should be,” Lee said. “We saw four games and I picked KL Rahul here, the first four games he played. His strike rate was 129, then he went to 150 and now he’s come back and said, ‘well, yeah, you know the bowlers have done a great job.'”
Rahul’s performance in IPL 2024 has been a cause for concern for Lucknow Super Giants, who had high hopes for the India international. With Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant preferred ahead of him for the wicketkeeper’s role in the T20 World Cup squad, Rahul has faced increased pressure to justify his selection. Whether he can overcome this pressure and improve his performance in the remaining IPL matches remains to be seen.
