IPL 2023: Not sure he or the team thought they could win the game when he came in at No. 11 – Simon Doull on KL Rahul’s batting

Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul injured his hip while chasing a ball against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Monday. However, injured Rahul showed guts to come out and bat at number 11 for LSG when the match was almost done and dusted.

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull shed light on Rahul coming out to bat at number 11 when the match was almost lost. Doull suggested that the right-hander might have come out to bat in order to lower the losing margin and thus with the idea of not hampering their Net Run Rate.

Rahul could not score a single run after facing three balls and he also could not run between the wickets due to his injury.

Simon Doull said on Cricbuzz, “I am not sure if he [KL Rahul] or the team thought they could win the game when he came in at No.11. What I do believe is that the net run rate is still going to be crucial later on in the tournament. So if Amit Mishra could hit a four or two fours, or if KL could have got one four, all of a sudden they get 12 more runs than what they were on.

“It makes a little bit of a difference to that net run rate, and every little bit counts at the back end of this tournament. I don’t believe that he thought for any second that he could hit five balls out of the park and win the game for them.”

Meanwhile, both KL Rahul and KS Bharat have been named in India’s World Test Championship squad against Australia. It is expected that Rahul could keep the wickets for India but Doull feels it will be a huge mistake. The Oval pitch is known for its bounce and the New Zealander believes it wouldn’t be a guile decision to give wicket-keeping gloves to Rahul.

“I would have put that down as a massive mistake [KL Rahul] playing as keeper]. In a month and a bit’s time, I could be proven completely wrong, and he might get and he might play, and I might still be proven wrong.

“The Oval surface, it’s turn and bounce on the last couple of days and it bounces more than it turns. That brings Jadeja and Ashwin into the play. I mean you just need your best keeper there.”
Lucknow Super Giants will next face Chennai Super Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Wednesday.