NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants' skipper
KL Rahul
faced a double setback as his aspirations for a spot in the
T20 World Cup squad
were dashed, compounded by a lackluster performance in the
IPL 2024
encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Rahul's struggles with the bat were glaringly evident as his team suffered an embarrassing defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders, marking a distressing chapter in their IPL 2024 campaign.
Legendary Australian pacer
Brett Lee
echoed the sentiment, questioning Rahul's approach at the crease, particularly contrasting his performance with that of the opposition's openers.
"I think if you look at both opening batters from both sides, it's a complete contrast. KKR have got it right. They're out of the blocks quickly, they're scoring runs. And then you got KL Rahul on the other side, that's, you know, getting a run a ball and putting a lot of pressure on the back end," Lee remarked on Jio Cinema.
Rahul's inability to accelerate the scoring rate was evident as he managed only 25 off 21 balls, failing to provide the explosive start required in the daunting chase of 235 set by Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite a valiant effort from Marcus Stoinis, LSG succumbed to KKR's formidable bowling attack, eventually bowing out for 137 in 16.1 overs.
The defeat not only tarnished Lucknow Super Giants' record in IPL 2024 but also led to Kolkata Knight Riders reclaiming the top spot in the standings.
Adding to Rahul's woes was his exclusion from the
Indian T20 World Cup squad
, where he was overlooked in favor of
Sanju Samson
and
Rishabh Pant
for the wicketkeeper's spots. Pant and Samson's superior strike rates played a pivotal role in their selection over Rahul.
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