Team India and LSG’s skipper, KL Rahul, are all set to return to competitive cricket after getting clearance from the NCA.
Nevertheless, KL Rahul has been advised to avoid wicketkeeping for his franchise in the initial matches.
The star batter suffered a quadriceps strain in the first test match of the recently concluded five-match test series between India and England.
As per reports, KL Rahul will play as a pure batter in the first few matches for the Lucknow Super Giants.
The team won’t suffer much because of the decision, as players like Nicholas Pooran and Quinton de Kock are already part of LSG’s setup.
As per a BCCI source, “The NCA has given Rahul clearance, and he will join his mates in Lucknow on Thursday (March 20) before they travel to Jaipur for the opening game against the Rajasthan Royals on March 24.”
The source further added, “The BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI: “It is understood that he has been told to avoid squatting initially, and he can don the big gloves in the coming days. For the first few games, he will only play as a pure batter.”
The reports further added that Rahul is set to play in the middle order, keeping the T-20 World Cup in mind.
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The source further added, “Rahul will not be considered for a top-three slot in the Indian T20 team considering his previous performances. He can be that keeper-batter at Nos. 5 or 6 if he has a decent IPL. But if he plays purely as a batter, you have a far better option in Rinku Singh, apart from Rishabh Pant, who might just stake a claim with some power-packed performances.”
