Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja believes KL Rahul lacks the “leadership qualities” to become India’s next T20 captain. Rahul is currently the captain of the Punjab Kings in the IPL and has struggled to take his side to a title finish.
In an interaction with Cricbuzz on Sunday, he explained that KL Rahul hasn’t shown the aura of a captain around him, irrespective of Punjab Kings’ on-field performances, the team which he leads in the IPL.
“If you look at KL Rahul, he’s been the captain of this team for the past two years, I never get the feeling that he’s a ‘leader’… Whenever this team has gone through a good phase or a bad phase we never look at him. The team (PBKS playing XI) that’s playing today, the changes that have been made, do you think KL Rahul has made these changes? Someone becomes an Indian captain based on his philosophy because he should be a leader. I have not seen that in KL Rahul so far because he’s very soft-spoken and adjusts in everything. If he becomes the captain one day, then it’s a certainty he’ll last the longest because a guy ready to adjust can stay longer in that position,” he said.
Least matches won in the first 25 IPL games as Captain:-
8: Sangakkara
9: Dravid
9: Rahane
9: Jayawardene
10: Gilchrist
11: KL RAHUL*
11: Ganguly
11: Ashwin#IPL2021— ComeOn Cricket 🏏🇮🇳 (@ComeOnCricket) October 2, 2021
There is a huge difference between leading an IPL team and a national team – Ajay Jadeja
Ajay Jadeja further added that there’s a “huge difference” between leading an IPL team and a national team, where the latter requiring a more distinct approach.
“But there are leadership qualities where whether or not I agree with his philosophy, the Indian captain should at least have one philosophy. Because there’s a huge difference between the captaincy of an IPL team and the Indian team. You have to manage a lot of things there (in the latter),” he explained.
As a Captain, does KL Rahul believe in match-ups? I don't know because I don't really understand his Captaincy much.
— Jaanvi🏏 (@ThatCric8Girl) October 3, 2021
So far, KL Rahul has led Punjab in 25 IPL games, winning 11 and losing 14 as well. In both seasons KL Rahul-led PBKS have finished sixth in the points table. However, they are currently placed fifth in the points table as well.
“I don’t know him personally and you see a different version of him too, but generally when he’s on the ground, he has the calmness like MS Dhoni. There are good things too but the biggest thing is that you need to be a leader. People should be debating your decisions, ‘Why is he doing this or that?’. That never happens to him, even in an IPL team, because he has not taken any responsibility upon himself, letting others run the team,” Ajay Jadeja concluded.
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