Pakistani legend Ramiz Raja has showered praise on Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul for his classical batting approach in the ongoing edition of IPL. KL Rahul was appointed as Punjab’s (Kings XI Punjab back then) skipper in 2019 after Ravichandran Ashwin was traded to Delhi Capitals.
Rahul is one of the most pleasant-looking batters in world cricket right now. When on song, the Karnataka-born cricketer can destroy any bowling attack in the world. KL Rahul has been in superlative form in the last couple of seasons of IPL leading his side from the front.
KL Rahul is pleasant on the eye – Ramiz Raja
Ramiz Raja opined on Rahul in his column for Khaleej Times. Showering praise on the India international, the former Pakistan cricketer said that KL Rahul is aesthetically one of the most pleasing batters on the eye. KL Rahul also plays the roles of opener and wicket-keeper for his team.
“KL Rahul is a viewers’ delight. He is aesthetically one of the most pleasing batsmen on the eye, a purist to the hilt. For someone who is betrothed to technique, dancing to the music notes of T20 batting can be one hell of a challenge,” wrote Ramiz Raja.
“But the gig gets harder for him at Punjab Kings, though. His job has the layer of captaincy as well. And so here is a teaser — he has won nine out of 10 matches for India when he has batted for 40 balls or more, but only eight out of 18 matches for Punjab Kings as captain when it’s been a 40-ball plus innings,” he added.
In 2020, KL Rahul’s side had a blistering start but faded away in the tournament afterward. But Rahul won his maiden Orange Cap. Calling Rahul a match-winner, Raja said that Rahul’s approach of staying at the crease till the end sometimes brings their run rate down.
“He Is A Match-Winner, But He Should Adopt A New T20 Approach — Where He Targets A 50 Off 30 Balls,” he penned.
Punjab’s strategy to keep wickets is flawed
As an opener at Punjab Kings, he has a choice to set the tone of the innings. Maybe, he puts too much price on his wicket and wants to stay till the end which pulls down the scoring rate. The power play batting thrust loses its steam once the field is opened up. The overall run rate in the match was 10.25. But Rahul could only muster a strike rate of 7.17.
The Punjab Kings’ strategy to keep wickets in hand is a flawed take on the game as time and again strike rate has won the battle over archaic wickets in hand logic. KL Rahul might end up as someone with a huge talent that shot himself in the foot. He is a match-winner, but he should adopt a new T20 approach — where he targets a 50 off 30 balls. And that will make him a box office attraction,” Ramiz Raja wrote while writing about KL Rahul’s struggles with strike rate.
So far, he has played 84 matches racking up 2804 runs at the strike rate of 136.31. KL Rahul has 2 centuries and 23 fifties under his feet.