Leg and Off: Should Lucknow Super Giants retain KL Rahul ahead of IPL 2025 auction?
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season did the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) more harm than good, primarily because of how they failed to adapt like other teams did and match their intensity. KL Rahul, being the skipper, was naturally caught in the eye of the hurricane, with a theatrical confrontation with the franchise owner being the first nail in the coffin.
Now that everyone involved have had time to reflect on the past and set an eye for the future, decisions need to be made. The BCCI recently announced the retention regulations, which also prompts the management to take a final call regarding KL Rahul.
During the off-season, KL Rahul was spotted with Sanjiv Goenka, where the latter referred to the player as part of 'family'. Is the emotional bond enough for such a huge call or does it make sense from a financial and logical point of view? That is what we'll be dissecting below.
If KL Rahul commits to the new approach, then the decision is a no-brainer
KL Rahul is known for having all the ingredients to succeed, all the talent, all of the shots in the book, but his numbers do not justify that. Is it his own mental block or pressure that is behind it may be hard to determine, but what is clear is that the new all-out aggressive approach is a little outside his comfort zone.
When powerplay scores of over 70 were a common sight, LSG were quite content with mediocre scores during the fielding restriction phase. An over-reliance on KL Rahul and a fragile middle order did contribute to this, but taking risks has become a non-negotiable at the moment. In fact, not taking risks might be the biggest risk a team can make, and the results reflected the same.
Suppose during the off-season, the management, the coaching staff, and the captain align themselves to the high-risk approach, with LSG committing to forge a squad at the mega auction capable of supporting Rahul with it. In that case, there is no question of releasing Rahul.
There is room for KL Rahul as LSG do not have too many retention headaches
As far as LSG's squad is concerned, there are hardly any bonafide retentions. Nicholas Pooran is a sure-shot call, while the likes of Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi are contenders. Quinton de Kock warrants a mention because of his pristine recent form, but LSG can risk it with a RTM, if it comes to that, or even search for new candidates.
Keeping that in mind, there is certainly a place for KL Rahul on the retention list. LSG's mentality would be to conduct a revamp approach-wise while managing to hold a handful of core players.
LSG are still in a phase where they are building a foundation, and building a connection with the fans. To make the most of the good work they have done so far, it is essential to show faith and stability, rather than chopping and changing right from the top when a hint of panic strikes.
One shaky season does not undermine the good work Rahul has done with the side so far. Guiding a new team to consecutive playoffs and being the leading run-scorer, he has certainly been an asset. It is a touch too harsh to blame KL Rahul and the team for the 2024 season, for they were just late to catch up with time, more importantly, he deserves a chance to make amends.
However, some compelling arguments do suggest that LSG might be better off without KL Rahul in the future.
If there is a time for LSG to move on and have a fresh start, it is now
A majority of the architects who were responsible for shaping LSG's foundations have already left. The likes of Andy Flower, Gautam Gambhir, and Morne Morkel have left the roles some while back, and the new-look alliance of Justin Langer and Zaheer Khan, along with Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes will be the coaching core for the next cycle.
Langer had an inherited squad to play with and hardly made any changes to it. Now, he has an opportunity to instill some of his vision with players of his choice.
With a major rebuild being inevitable, why not use it as an opportunity to change everything from top to bottom, and start from scratch? Such opportunities do not come very often, and the team can have a new path with a new captain and a new opening batter, familiar with the new-age approach.
Retaining KL Rahul without knowing how he can function in an intent-driven approach is blindfolded gambling
The biggest issue with retaining KL Rahul, much bigger than the huge chunk of the purse amount, is the fact that there is no guarantee that the move will pay off. There is no guarantee of anything in this cut-throat field, but the fact that there is hardly any evidence that suggests things might be different this time around.
It is not like Rahul has had an opportunity to work on his T20 game with some appearances, and show that he is ready for the future. He has been ousted from the national T20I squad, with his last appearance coming in 2022. He missed out on the 2024 edition and is nowhere near the team's plans for the 2026 edition.
Any hopes of him playing short-format domestic cricket are also bleak because of his national commitments with the ODI and the Test squad.
Granted KL Rahul is a professional, and talented enough to ramp up his scoring. But, a bit of visual evidence of the same would have been a relief for everyone involved. As of now, it is a retention banked on faith and hope, rather than conviction.
To conclude, despite the questionable approach and a lack of answers regarding a potential shift in intent, letting go of the franchise's face just three years in, that too after one shaky season, seems a knee-jerk reaction. The ruthless auction space and lack of certified options, especially Indian ones that could fill Rahul's role is another headache that LSG maybe forced to confront if they let go of their captain.
It ultimately boils down to LSG giving Rahul a team of personnel familiar with the new approach, which allows him to play freely at the top. Once the value of Rahul's wicket goes down, he can play a much more freer game, matching the modern-day demands.