KL Rahul, a top-order batsman known for his calm demeanor at the wicket, leads the Lucknow Super Giants but more so for his maiden overs in the IPL
However, LSG has expressed concern over his strike rate in recent seasons, particularly during powerplays. In a game against the Rajasthan Royals, KL Rahul played a maiden over in the first over, sparking conversation about his playing style.
How many maiden first overs has opener KL Rahul played in the IPL and T20 cricket till date
There were rumours that Rahul had played 11 maiden first overs so far in the IPL. But a fact check showed that he had played his first maiden over against Trent Boult in the IPL 2023 season with his second coming against Gujarat. Maiden overs are a great thing for the bowler to do because they cut the game down by one over. But something needs to be done about Rahul’s behaviour in the powerplay.
As far as T20Is are concerned, KL Rahul has played a total of 6 maiden overs till date, all of them being the first over.
Most Maiden Overs played in IPL since 2020
3: Shubman Gill
2: KL Rahul*Still no one talks about Gill 🤷🏻#kLRahul #shubhmangill #LSGvsGT
— Sonu Jat (@Sonu_jat18) April 22, 2023
KL Rahul's trademark maiden over.pic.twitter.com/nvPfQXw9KK
— Jurel Fc (@WiratWohli) April 19, 2023
Hello @cricketaakash sir
Please say anything only after full research
Stop spreading fake stats like other sadakchhap twitter experts this is the first time KL Rahul Played a maiden over in IPL history pic.twitter.com/QNmbBxsABo— Manjit (@CricManjit) April 20, 2023
KL Rahul’s hit rate during the powerplay has been around 120 over the last few seasons. In some seasons, like this one, it has been much lower. This could be a problem for LSG as they try to build a strong base at the top of the order. Rahul needs to deal with this problem and change how he does things if he wants to keep being a good starter in the IPL.
Moving KL Rahul to middle order and exploring alternatives
One idea would be to move KL Rahul to the middle of the lineup. Rahul has shown in ODI cricket that he can go for the big hits when he needs to, which is possible because of his skill. This could be an opportunity for LSG, since they have other players like Quinton de Kock and Manan Vohra on the team.
In fact, LSG could look into the possibility of putting Deepak Hooda at the top of the order to help him regain his trust. Hooda has been out of form for the past few seasons and might do better if he moved up or down in the batting order. Ayush Badoni is also a possibility, as he has shown promise in local cricket and could be given a chance to prove himself in the IPL.
LSG must carefully consider their choices and choose the best strategy for their batting line-up. KL Rahul is a good batsman and an important part of their team, but his recent efforts in the powerplay have given them reason to worry. The team must try everything they can to find the best way to balance their hitting order.