"It's good to see him going for the kill" - Piyush Chawla on lessons KL Rahul has learnt from Gautam Gambhir
Playing their first season, KL Rahul's Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have performed exceedingly well and are currently second in the IPL points table 2022.
Rahul has been exceptional with the bat, leading the IPL team from the front. His association with former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who is a mentor of the side, has worked wonders.
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Piyush Chawla has been impressed by KL Rahul's tactical acumen this season. Chawla feels the LSG captain has managed to pick Gambhir's brain, who led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two IPL titles.
Speaking on 'Cricket Live' on Star Sports, Chawla said Rahul has taken key lessons from Gambhir.
"The way he's leading the side is thrilling to watch. He is leading the Super Giants brilliantly. It's good to see him going for the kill. He's placing slip fielders in the 11th-12th overs and looking to finish the game early. This is something which he's learning well from mentor Gautam Gambhir who was like this during his stint as IPL captain."
Meanwhile, Lucknow are within touching distance of a place in the IPL playoffs. A win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) later tonight will guarantee a place in the top four.
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"His performance has encouraged other players to do better" - Harbhajan Singh lauds KL Rahul
Most runs in the first 100 IPL innings
(among Indians)
3732: KL Rahul (97 inns)
2901: Ajinkya Rahane
2901: Suresh Raina
2792: Rishabh Pant (95 inns)
2754: Gautam Gambhir
2726: Shreyas Iyer*
#ShreyasIyer
The Karnataka-born batter has been consistently scoring runs in the IPL during the last four to five years. Former India of-spinner Harbhajan Singh stressed that Rahul has motivated the other players with his performances.
"The biggest propellant for this team's good show has been the way KL Rahul has led them from the front. He has been the leading run-getter for the side. His performance has encouraged other players to do better."
Harbhajan added that Rahul's good leadership has been coupled with correct selections.
"He has shown a lot of calmness as a captain, which is always required in tournaments like these. Also, the management of this team has been very active since the beginning of the league. They picked the right team, picked the right coach, and followed the right strategy."
So far, KL Rahul has amassed 459 runs in 12 matches at an average of 45.90 including two centuries and two fifties. He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the 15th edition of the tournament after Jos Buttler. Since 2016, Rahul has scored heavily in the IPL at an average of almost 50.