KL Rahul might quit LSG captaincy in IPL 2024 : Reports

It has emerged that KL Rahul may resign as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants for their next two league games of the 2024 Indian Premier League, one day after the team suffered a humiliating defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, which led to owner Sanjiv Goenka giving him a tongue-lash in front of cameras. Following consecutive crushing losses, first to KKR and then to SRH on Wednesday, LSG, who were and still are very much in the running for the playoffs, find themselves at a standstill.

The match was won by SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who hammered 167 in 9.4 overs on a pitch where LSG’s batsmen scored at a rate of less than six runs per over in the first 10 overs. The defenselessness of the LSG players was evident, and if rumors are to be believed, captain Rahul will probably be held accountable for it.

Who will replace KL Rahul?

Rahul, who signed on prior to the 2022 auction for a record ₹17 crore, is not expected to be kept on board prior to the massive auctions in 2025, according to news agency PTI. There is talk, though, that the captain may decide to resign on his own and focus only on batting in the next two matches.

Read More: LSG owner Heated argument with KL Rahul on field fumes the internet

The following game versus DC is five days away. Although no decision has been made as of yet, it is believed that the management won’t object if Rahul decides to focus only on his batting for the final two games, an IPL source with the right to remain anonymous informed PTI.

Notably, during the Rising Pune Supergiants’ second season, Goenka was the team’s owner and Steve Smith replaced MS Dhoni as captain.

LSG can mathematically still be in the running if they win their final two games, which are against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede on May 17 and the Delhi Capitals at New Delhi on May 14.

It will be difficult to significantly raise the net run-rate (-0.760), though.

Vice captain Nicholas Pooran, who has been the team’s most influential batsman this season, is expected to take over for the next two games if Rahul decides to step aside.

Following the mocking of their bowlers by SRH openers Head (89 not out off 30 balls) and Abhishek (75 off 28 balls), videos of LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s heated exchange with Rahul surfaced on social media.