Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are clashing with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2024 opening game on March 24, 2024. The match is being played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
RR captain Sanju Samson won the toss and chose to bat first in the heat of Jaipur.
However, the interesting part is that KL Rahul, who is coming off a quad injury, took the wicketkeeping gloves for LSG despite the presence of Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran in the playing XI.
Rahul missed the last four Test matches against England, due to a quadriceps strain. He traveled to London for medical consultation and later reported to NCA for recovery.
Meanwhile, ahead of the start of the RR v LSG match, Quinton de Kock had revealed that Rahul would not be wicketkeeping, something which was proved wrong once the match started.
"I think he's trying to keep everyone relaxed and calm, his demeanor has been chilled and he's kept everyone cool and calm. To be honest, I'm not too sure, I'm not part of the brain trust, you'll need to ask the big dogs in the team management. I don't know the reason (on why KL will not take the gloves), but we've been told he'll not keep them for the first few games," De Kock had told broadcasters.
A PTI report before the IPL 2024, had suggested that Rahul was asked by the NCA to not don the gloves for some matches due to his recovery process.
"The NCA has given him clearance and he will join his mates in Lucknow on Thursday (March 20) before they travel to Jaipur for the opening game against Rajasthan Royals on March 24. It is understood that he has been told to avoid squatting initially and he can don the big gloves in the coming days. For the first few games, he will only play as pure batter,” a BCCI source had told PTI.
Meanwhile, certain reports have suggested that the BCCI selectors are not considering KL Rahul as a batter for the top order as there are many to choose from. However, KL Rahul could make a case for himself for the T20 World Cup as a middle-order batter and keeper.
(Hindustan Times inputs)
