Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul has done a U-turn in his comments on the strike rate in T20 cricket during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. KL Rahul admitted a notable change in the shortest format and stated that even high scores are not certain at this time.
KL Rahul has faced criticism for his strike rates in T20s. The LSG captain was excluded from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated that they wanted middle-order batting options while selecting wicketkeepers.
Rahul has consistently maintained that the concept of strike rate in the shortest format is “overrated”. He previously stated that his main goal is to contribute to his team’s victories rather than prioritizing success rate.
“Look, I think the goal rate is very, very overrated. For me, it is just about how I can win games for my team,” Rahul, who was then the captain of Kings XI Punjab, said in 2020.
Three years later, the wicketkeeper-batsman reiterated his stance ahead of the IPL 2023 season. Rahul emphasized that the strike rate depends on the match situation, stating that there is no need to maintain a strike rate of 200 while chasing a goal of 140.
“The strike rate depends on the demand, for example if you go for 140 (no need to go with a strike rate of 200), it depends on the current situation,” Rahul said in 2023.
There is a lot of talk about strike rates – KL Rahul
During the toss of the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), KL Rahul acknowledged the evolving dynamics of the game and the growing importance of strike rates. Rahul stated that a score of 220 is now considered an even score in the shortest format of the game.
“There has been a lot of talk about strike rates and the format is changing. Even 220 is safe now. It is evolving,” Rahul said after LSG won the toss and opted to bowl first.
The Shreyas Iyer-led team scored a total of 235 runs in 20 overs. Sunil Narine scored 81 runs off 39 balls with the help of six fours and seven sixes. Phil Salt made a quick cameo of 32 runs off 14 balls, including five fours and a six. Ramandeep Singh scored 25 runs off six balls in the death overs.
KL Rahul started the innings well with a boundary off the first ball but couldn’t sustain the momentum. Harshit Rana dismissed him after scoring 25 runs off 21 deliveries, which included three boundaries. The Super Giants were bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs and lost the match by 98 runs.
The KL Rahul-led team is currently at fifth place in the points table, having recorded six wins in 11 matches in IPL 2024. The team will take on SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 1st. 8th
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