KL Rahul must focus only on the IPL 2024 for now, and success in the tournament, as a captain, batsman and wicket-keeper would pave the way for him in India’s T20 World Cup squad. This is the message of the Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer to the franchise’s captain who is currently out of the T20 squad of the Indian team.
While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made their returns to the T20I XI earlier this year against Afghanistan in the T20I series after playing last in the format in the T20 World Cup, KL Rahul wasn’t recalled.
In fact, given Rahul’s infamous slow starts and strike rate conundrums in T20 cricket, it is believed that the selectors have moved on from him and already decided to pick the likes of Jaiswal and Gill in the T20 World Cup squad with Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Jitesh Sharma fighting for the keeper’s spot.
KL Rahul, though, still harbours T20 World Cup ambitions and has reportedly decided to bat in the middle-order and don the gloves.
Concentrate on LSG, your India chances will increase: Langer to KL Rahul, Bishnoi
Justin Langer, who replaced Andy Flower as LSG head coach ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, spoke about Rahul and his place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Similar to Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, the young leg-spinner is also vying for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad, though Bishnoi is much closer to it than Rahul.
Langer said: “If KL can captain LSG to the IPL title, that means he would’ve captained well, batted well and kept wickets well. The message for players like KL and Bishi (Bishnoi) would be that the more they concentrate on doing well for LSG, their chances (of T20 World Cup) will increase.”
Since LSG have traded in Devdutt Padikkal from RR, KL Rahul can shift in the middle-order.
LSG will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign on March 24 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
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