A major piece of positive news for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is that captain KL Rahul is expected to be fit in time for the start of the IPL 2024 season.
The 31-year-old senior India cricketer is currently dealing with a thigh injury issue, and will consult his specialists in London, but the belief right now is that he will start the IPL 2024 season for his franchise.
Interestingly, KL Rahul is set to make another major shift in his career. After taking up the roles of a wicket-keeper and middle-order batsman for India in ODIs and Tests, Rahul has reportedly made up his mind to bat in the middle-order for Lucknow Super Giants, too, in the IPL 2024. This decision from KL Rahul has been taken considering the T20 World Cup 2024, which will take place in June, immediately after the IPL concludes in the last week of May.
KL Rahul right now is not part of the T20I team of India – not even the squad, let alone the best XI – as India have banked on Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson to do the middle-order roles and take gloves with the top-order already crammed up. KL last played a T20I in the T20 World Cup semi-final and has been dropped since.
KL Rahul is keen to prove his worth in T20 cricket in the IPL: Source
With no place available in the top four of the Indian T20I team, KL Rahul is likely to bat in the middle-order for LSG – and don the gloves if he’s fit for that – in order to make a case for selection in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.
A source told TOI about Rahul, “He had consulted top medical experts in London. He returned to India on Sunday and has checked into the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for rehab. He should get the Return to Play certificate from the NCA soon. He is keen to prove his worth in the IPL as he’s in line for selection in India’s T20 World Cup team as a ‘keeper-bat.”
LSG will kick off their IPL 2024 campaign on March 24 against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
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