“He is able to deliver,” Andy Flower explains why he rates KL Rahul very highly

Andy Flower has worked closely with KL Rahul in the Indian Premier League.

When he is in full flow, KL Rahul appears to be one of the most destructive batters going around. However, the right-hander often draws flak for his conservative approach.

Rahul recently endured an underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign, failing to score in crucial games against Pakistan, South Africa and England.

Nonetheless, he seemed to have regained his old touch by scoring 73 off 70 balls while batting at No. 5 in the first ODI against Bangladesh at Dhaka.

Amid the scrutiny, Rahul has now got the backing of Lucknow Super Giants coach Andy Flower, who believes that the IPL's team skipper is an amazing cricketer and he boasts an amazing record.

"I don't agree with you that he has not been able to deliver,” Flower told PTI on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi T10 League.

"He has proved time and time again that he is able to deliver. He is an amazing cricketer and so beautiful to watch but also he has got an amazing record, especially in the IPL, and a ridiculously good average. I rate him very highly."

Andy Flower’s CV as a coach is a highly accomplished one. He had coached England to the T20 World Cup title in 2010 and also guided them to No. 1 spot in Test rankings.

Widely regarded as one of the sharpest minds in world cricket, Flower highlighted the importance of having different coaches and specialist players for red and white-ball cricket.

"For some countries it is not needed. For bigger countries who are playing tons of cricket, players specialising makes sense. It would also make sense from a coaching point of view and a lifestyle and health point of view.

"Being on the road, living in hotels for two or three quarters in a year, that is not a healthy thing for families and relationships," the former Zimbabwe captain stated.

Flower, who is associated with Delhi Bulls for the T10 League in Abu Dhabi, believes T10 is an ideal pitch for cricket's entry into the Olympics.

"T10 is an excellent format. It is very exciting to be part of. It is a very aggressive form of the game. Because it has a shorter time span, it makes it very attractive for tournament play, you can play three day games in a day on the same pitch. For me this would be a perfect format for cricket's entry into the olympics.

"At the moment the most popular form of cricket is T20 and that format, too, is growing. I would be surprised if T10 did not grow in popularity," he remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)