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With a stacked roster featuring some of the best T20 players in the world, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have been among the favorites for the title since joining the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2022 season.
During the draft ahead of their maiden campaign, LSG managed to rope in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Ravi Bishnoi as their three signings. All three have played important roles for the franchise since joining, with Rahul in particular proving to be as prolific as ever at the top of the order.
However, while Rahul is a run bank unlike any other in the shortest format, his intent at the top of the order and his captaincy have always been the subject of debate. In IPL 2023, with the Super Giants having lost three of their seven matches, the pressure is mounting on the skipper.
It might be wise for LSG to hand over the reins to another player. There aren't any ideal candidates on the current roster and they might need to look towards the next auction to sign a new skipper, with Rahul not proving to be up to the task thus far.
Here are three reasons why KL Rahul shouldn't captain LSG in the IPL.
#3 The Lucknow Super Giants have underperformed thus far in the IPL
After the IPL 2022 auction, LSG seemed to have one of the best rosters on paper. They were well on course to finish in the top two but lost their bearings towards the end of the season, managing to seal their spot in the Eliminator.
Lucknow didn't get past their first playoff game, with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) sneaking through to Qualifier 2. They understandably turned to the 2023 auction to fill the holes in the squad and came into the current campaign with a more well-rounded unit.
LSG have suffered from Mohsin Khan's absence, with the left-armer recovering from a shoulder injury. However, they have had Mark Wood back, and Nicholas Pooran's signing has bolstered their middle order.
There's no reason for the franchise to have squandered games from winning positions like they have this year.
LSG haven't been able to punch anywhere close to the weight of their squad, and KL Rahul must take accountability for that. Other captains in the league, like MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson, have managed to steer lineups with clear deficiencies to greater heights.
The Super Giants have had all the ability in the world, and Rahul hasn't been able to produce the corresponding results so far.
#2 KL Rahul, the batter, will perhaps be more liberated
KL Rahul's problems as a batter are of the mind, and that's something that has been established for quite some time now. Although he's one of the best T20 batters in the world when on song, he has the tendency to go into his shell and eat up balls.
Rahul's intent at the top of the order has only gotten worse since he has been at the helm. For both LSG and the Punjab Kings (PBKS), he has played several innings that have come under criticism for their overall negative impact.
Rahul has captained in the IPL since 2020, and his strike rates don't make for pretty reading. He hasn't struck at over 140 in a campaign since 2018, and his growing stature as a cricketer seems to have held him back more than helped unleash him.
Without the added responsibility, Rahul could be liberated as a batter. He might be free to play his attacking game and help the teams he is a part of, although it's tough to confidently state that captaincy is the reason he's playing this way.
Rahul has played some bizarre knocks for Team India in the T20I format even when he hasn't been leading the Men in Blue. While this may not be a one-stop solution, it could help. At the very least, it could give the 31-year-old a reality check, one he arguably needs.
#1 KL Rahul and LSG have been tactically poor throughout IPL 2023
KL Rahul and LSG have been found wanting tactically in almost every game, having made a series of dubious decisions this year.
The likes of Krunal Pandya, Ayush Badoni and Marcus Stoinis have been used up the order randomly, with Nicholas Pooran suffering as a result. Quinton de Kock has been warming the bench, while the bowling changes haven't been great either.
Rahul has often failed to bowl out his best bowlers and has squandered games from winning positions with both bat and ball. His usage of Ravi Bishnoi against PBKS was a particularly horrendous bit of captaincy.
LSG have been tactically poor in all departments. While some of that can be attributed to the support staff, the captain must assume some accountability too. Rahul has never been recognized as an astute skipper, and captaincy doesn't seem like something he's particularly good at.
