“Sometimes when a captain gets out early, it plays on his mind” - Rajkumar Sharma on KL Rahul’s body language against GT

Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma reckons that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul’s first-ball dismissal against the Gujarat Titans (GT) was perhaps reflected in his body language throughout the IPL 2022 clash. Sharma explained that, sometimes as a leader, it is difficult to overcome personal failures quickly.

Leading the Lucknow franchise in their first-ever IPL match, Rahul was dismissed for a golden duck as he was caught behind off Mohammed Shami. Subsequently, he came under fire over his body language and tactics on the field as LSG went down to Gujarat.

Discussing Rahul’s captaincy in the match on the Khelneeti podcast, Sharma stated:

“Sometimes when a captain gets out early, it plays on his mind that he could not contribute to the team’s cause. May be that’s what seen in Rahul’s body language in the first game. But he is a thinking cricketer and an excellent batter, so I am confident that he can make a good comeback.”

Admitting that Rahul has a long way to go when it comes to becoming a good leader, the 56-year-old asserted that he would improve with experience. Sharma said:

“Yes, I agree that he needs to learn a bit about leadership. But he has led Punjab Kings before, so it’s not like he is a new to the role. I am confident that he will improve with time. As for Lucknow, they are a strong team and I am sure they willl do better in upcoming games.”

Lucknow recovered from 29 for 4 to post 158 for 6, courtesy of fifties from Deepak Hooda and Ayush Badoni. However, Gujarat chased down the target with five wickets in hand.

To see the updated IPL standings, click here.

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“Pandya, Samson and Shreyas showed very good body language” – Rajkumar Sharma on captains who impressed in their first outing

Although these are still very early days in IPL 2022, a few captains have already made their mark this season. Picking a few names and commenting on their leadership styles, Sharma said:

“Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer, all three showed very good body language and involvement. I was impressed with Mayank Agarwal as well. These youngsters are doing their homework before entering the field. Indian cricket’s future looks bright.”

Hardik Pandya (GT), Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals), Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Mayank Agarwal (Punjab Kings) all tasted victories while leading their respective franchises in their first matches of the IPL 2022 season.