I Want Rahul The Batter, Who Can Lead, Not A Captain Who Bats: Gautam Gambhir
LSG advised the captain to take risks with caution and said that he will back Rahul when it comes to decision making
Mumbai: LSG mentor Gautam Gambhir has said he’s expecting their captain KL Rahul to be the batter, who can also lead, and not a captain who also bats in the upcoming IPL season.
The 29-year-old Rahul was appointed the captain of the Lucknow franchise after he was selected from the draft list ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auction. He had previously led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the T20 league. While he was extremely impressed with the bat, the franchise struggled to make a mark.
In an interview with PTI, Gambhir opened up about his expectations from the captain. He said:
“Ultimately, it is the leader who is the flag bearer of a team and so it is Rahul who will lead the Lucknow Super Giants on and off the field. For me, it is important to have KL Rahul the batter, who is also the captain of the team rather than KL Rahul, the captain, who also bats. I hope I am able to make you understand the difference.”
LSG advised the captain to take risks with caution and said that he will back Rahul when it comes to decision making, Gambhir said:
“Any captain should learn to take risks. I want Rahul to take risks and unless you take that risk carefully, you won’t know whether you will succeed or not. Also this time, Quinton de Kock will be our wicketkeeper, so with no keeping duties, he can be free and relaxed, concentrating on his batting and leadership.”
Apart from being appointed the LSG captain, Rahul is also in the race for Indian captaincy. He led the national team in South Africa when a regular captain was not available.
Asked if there will be additional pressure on Rahul to prove his credentials as India captain in future, the former opener replied that it is the wrong way of looking at things. He said:
“Know one thing. There is a difference between being talked up as a future India captain and ultimately being appointed India captain. I have never believed that you should play IPL looking at the national team. IPL is a platform to express one’s self. One can grow as a leader but there are no guarantees that there is a time period that IPL will help you become India captain.”
Lucknow will begin their IPL 2022 campaign when they take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28.
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