Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri had some advice for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul and said that he needs to be more adventurous at the start, especially with the presence of hitters like Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, and Quinton de Kock.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face against Royal Challengers Banglore (RCB) on Monday, April 10, 2023 in Bengaluru. KL Rahul-led LSG has won two games out of three matches thus far.
However, the LSG captain KL Rahul has struggled to find the groove in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) thus far. Rahul has aggregated 63 runs in three innings with his highest score being 35, which came against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
However, Shastri believes that the right hander should be looking to increase his strike rate and accelerate the scoring with other hitters to follow.
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“I think he (KL Rahul) will aim to play a big innings but with a rapid approach. With the presence of Kyle Mayers, Stoinis, and De Kock yet to come, LSG have a powerful batting line-up. So, KL Rahul can take chances (for the big hits at the start),” Shastri said on ESPNCricinfo.
Shastri further showered immense praise on Kyle Mayers who has scored 139 runs in three games including two half-centuries. He has maintained an impressive strike rate of 187.84.
Shastri said, “I enjoy watching him bat. If he gets good batting conditions, he has the ability to set the game in 5-6 overs and create a platform for his side to produce a big total.”
Talking about LSG’s overseas opening combination, Shastri was asked whether the franchise would drop Marcus Stoinis to experiment with Mayers and Quinton de Kock in the XI given that the Australian all-rounder has scored 43 runs in three appearances.
“LSG can field that combination but they will need to assess the conditions first. I always like to have a strong bowling department with six proper bowlers,” Shastri explained.
