LSG fielding coach, Jonty Rhodes, has come out in praise for KL Rahul’s captaincy at a time when the latter’s future with the franchise or as skipper was speculated about being in jeopardy. Rhodes was all praise for Rahul’s captaincy and form, especially mentioning how well he has done for the last three years.
KL Rahul’s Successful Stint As The Captain Of LSG
Ever since LSG formed in 2022, Rahul has taken the team to playoffs on two times in three seasons. Rhodes also pointed to the fact that Rahul has continued leading a new franchise to the playoffs, speaking volumes about his powers of leadership. Even though the recent poor season in IPL 2024 that saw LSG finish 7th, Rahul’s contribution as captain is extremely crucial.
‘I think if you look at a record as a captain of a brand-new franchise, getting into the playoffs every time like he has, it’s been something that goes a long way towards his captaincy, to the way that he leads the team and the sort of set up and the approach that he has,” Rhodes said in an exclusive interview to India Today
Also Read: ‘He Is A World Class Player’: Salman Agha Backs Babar Azam Amid Poor Form
KL Rahul was appointed as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants for their inaugural IPL season in 2022. Under his captaincy, the team advanced to the playoffs, securing nine victories out of 14 matches. Rahul was the second-highest run-scorer of IPL 2022, amassing 616 runs at an average of 51.33. He also formed several notable opening partnerships with Quinton de Kock.
Jonty Rhodes Praises KL Rahul
Rhodes mentioned that any IPL franchise captain can have a tough time as the league has 10 other teams. He also drew parallels between the challenges faced by successful captains of the past, such as Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. Rhodes maintained that while LSG might not have picked up a trophy, that journey towards doing so was a key part for the team.
“So you know, to look at Rohit’s record as a captain, Dhoni’s record as a captain, the trophies that those guys have won and the consistency that they’ve done to winning trophies, from LSG’s point of view, it might just be one thing getting into the final, winning the trophy,” Rhodes added.
“It then turns out MI didn’t win a trophy for quite a few years at the start. Once they learned how to win trophies, they kept going and kept going. So I think from that point of view, I think he’s done an excellent job at the helm, with a brand new franchise, setting up a new culture, with new owners and, and that I think is an indication of how well he’s captained the team in a set-up where there are players from all over the country in India who are very different and all over the world,” Rhodes added
Also Read: ‘6-SIXES IN AN OVER’, Priyansh Arya Smashed A Record Ton Against North Delhi
Recent meetings between KL Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka at his Kolkata residence also raised the temperature, as far as speculations on Rahul’s LSG future were concerned. More so, during the introduction of Zaheer Khan as LSG’s new mentor, Goenka also revealed that the call on Rahul’s retention with the franchise has yet to be made.
