"Test match player replaced by another" - Fans erupt as Karun Nair replaces injured LSG captain KL Rahul for remainder of IPL 2023

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have named Karun Nair as their replacement for skipper KL Rahul, who has been ruled out of IPL 2023 due to a hip injury. The right-handed batter has experience of playing 76 IPL games, amassing 1,496 runs at a strike rate of 127.25, including 10 half-centuries. It will be the sixth IPL franchise for Nair, who has played with RCB, RR, DC, PBKS, and KKR previously.

The Karnataka batter played only three games for RR last season, scoring 16 runs at a strike rate of 88.89. He went sold at IPL 2023 mini-auction in December last year. His base price was ₹50 lakh.

Sharing a post on Twitter, LSG welcomed Nair on board with a heartwarming message:

“Karun Nair, adab se swaagat hai!”

Nair, though, has scored 2,989 runs in 150 T20s at a strike rate of 131.15, including two centuries and 16 half-centuries.

The 31-year-old also comes with a wealth of experience in the domestic circuit, scoring 5,922 runs in 85 first-class games at an average of 48.94, including 15 tons and 27 half-centuries. He has been equally decent in List A cricket, amassing 2,119 runs in 90 games, including two centuries and 12 fifties.

Fans came up with mixed reactions to Karun Nair replacing KL Rahul in the LSG squad for the remaining IPL fixtures. One user tweeted:

"One test match player replaced by another test player wow."

Here are some of the other Twitter reactions:

Meanwhile, it’s worth mentioning that Krunal Pandya is leading Lucknow in Rahul’s absence.

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KL Rahul set to miss the WTC final

KL Rahul will miss the WTC final

KL Rahul will also miss the World Test Championship final between India and Australia, scheduled to be played at the Oval in London, starting June 7. The right-hander sustained a hip injury while fielding against RCB in their IPL 2023 contest on May 1. He will now undergo thigh surgery before beginning his rehabilitation.

In an Instagram post, the 31-year-old wrote:

“Absolutely gutted that I won't be at the Oval next month with Team India. I'll do everything I can to get back in blue and help my country. That has always been my focus and priority. @indiancricketteam.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce a replacement for KL Rahul.

India’s Test squad WTC final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul (ruled out), KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.