KL Rahul has come under the scanner after Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) crushing 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 57 of the IPL 2024 season at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Wednesday (May 8).
Chasing the target of 166, SRH’s opening duo of Travis Head (89* off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (75* off 28) made a mockery of LSG bowling attack, finishing the match in just 9.4 overs.
The two sides had contrasting approach in the powerplay overs. While Head and Sharma made the most of field restrictions and hammered 107 runs, LSG managed to score only 27 runs in the first six overs.
After the game, former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan slammed LSG skipper KL Rahul’s batting approach in the powerplay.
Rahul scored 29 off 33 balls while opening the innings. He got out in the 10th over and his knock included only one boundary and a six.
"If this doesn't wake KL up to the style of cricket he needs to play going forward to be successful and to continue playing for India, I don't know what will," said McClenaghan in an ESPNcricinfo interview.
McClenaghan asked the LSG captain to trust his teammates and adopt a more aggressive mindset.
"Trust the other guys to do the job. It looks like he's carrying the whole team on his back," he added.
McClenaghan highlighted the key role coaching staff needs to play in order to bring the best out of Rahul.
"It's going to take a really good coach and a good coaching structure or management to give him the confidence that it's okay to fail and we're not going to drop you," he remarked.
Despite the criticism, Mitchell McClenaghan showed faith in Rahul's abilities to bounce back. "He's one of the best batters going around and he will bounce back from this," he concluded.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden was also critical of Lucknow’s circumspect approach in the powerplay against the team full of power-hitters.
“I have to call them (LSG) out. This is not a five runs per over wicket. Somebody needed to show intent. They had one of the slowest powerplays. That took the innings nowhere. When the opposition team has Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, your intention should be to go at 10s and over. 160-170 will never be enough,” Hayden said while speaking to Star Sports.
With this outcome, LSG slipped to sixth spot in the 10-team points table. They will face Delhi Capitals in their next match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday (May 14).
