“If this doesn’t wake up KL Rahul…”: Former MI star’s blunt message to Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma cricket news

Lucknow Super Giants had a night to forget in the IPL on Wednesday. Sunrisers Hyderabad batsmen Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma launched a never-seen-before attack, leading to a 10-wicket defeat. He achieved the target of 166 runs in just 58 balls. This was the fastest successful chase of any 100+ target in IPL. Head scored 89* off 30 balls with a strike-rate of 296.67, while Sharma departed after scoring 75* off 28 balls with a strike-rate of 267.86. In comparison to him, there was another senior batsman in the rival camp, who looked quite calm.

The experienced India batsman, who was not selected for the T20 World Cup 2024, scored 29 runs off 33 balls. In IPL 2024, KL Rahul has scored 460 runs in 12 matches at an average of 38.33.

In a discussion on ESPN Cricinfo after the SRH vs LSG match, former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop suggested Rahul to play with more freedom.

“It’s just loosening the shackles of your mind, really being prepared. I think he has to be prepared to say well, we might lose some games, we might roll over as Pat “But if you have the resources and that’s another thing, you have to have the resources to play like that,” Cummins said.

“You have to make good selections and just be courageous because that’s the way the game has gone on most occasions. There are times at Wankhede on the second night, you will have a pitch that demands a little more caution for example. But generally the way the game has played out in this IPL, you have to be able to play freely, you have to have the resources to go out there and play freely.”

Former Mumbai Indians fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan was also part of the discussion, and said: “I think if it doesn’t tell KL about the style of cricket he needs to be successful and continue playing for India. We have to play further, you know I don’t know what will happen.”

“Absolutely he can do that. I think he has to step up, exactly like we have seen with Virat (Kohli), you know how you are the only person who can score runs and keep him on the right track. Gotta move, I need to do this.” Score runs and if I miss it’s okay, trust other people to do the job, looks like he’s carrying the whole team on his back, wondering if he doesn’t bat in the innings “By doing that, you’re not going to get any scores, and if he gets out, they’re way behind where they need to be.”

“It will require really good coaching structural management to give them the message that we will not leave you, even a message from the top. I don’t see any loss in Dravid (Rahul), Rohit (Sharma) And actually they are saying that if that is your intention all the time then we will not leave you. If he can unlock it, he is one of the best players and he will come back from it.”