LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka seen having an animated chat with KL Rahul
Addressing the brewing controversy, Klusener dismissed any notion of discord within the team, stating, “I don't see any problem with some robust discussion between two cricket lovers. So for us, I guess it's just a storm in a teacup. We love A robust discussion. So, it's not a big thing for us.”
Responding to speculations about Rahul's future with the franchise, Klusener refuted any talks of non-retention, saying, “There has been certainly no discussions around the matter.”
Meanwhile, Rahul's exclusion from India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad has stirred further debate, with his performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season under scrutiny. Despite amassing 460 runs as an opener for LSG, concerns have been raised over his strike rate of 136.09.
In defense of the wicketkeeper-batsman, Klusener highlighted the challenging circumstances Rahul has faced, emphasizing the lack of support from the batting unit. “KL has got his own unique style which has made him a fantastic player and respected around the world. I think this IPL has been exceptionally tough for him because we've kept losing wickets at stages which hasn't allowed him to kick on where he likes. He probably feels like he's always having to rebuild.”
“I think as a batting unit around KL, we haven't been as good as we should. It's just been extremely tough conditions for him. That's something we've chatted about as well—we've just kept losing wickets at tough times. ,” he added.
Expressing confidence in Rahul's ability to deliver in crucial upcoming matches, Klusener said, “There's still a couple of games left. He's in a good space. So, we've got our fingers crossed again for him.”
What Virender Sehwag said on the Sanjiv Goenka and KL Rahul saga
Reacting to the saga, former India batsman Virender Sehwag said that team owners should refrain from getting angry with players or backroom staff who work on the pitch.
“The owner's role should be that when they meet the players in the dressing room or during a press meet, they should only talk to motivate them. But if the owner comes and asks—'What is going on?' What's the problem?' or gets hold of one of the team management members and starts to raise questions about a particular player… see, the coaches and the captain run the team, so it is better for these owners not to get involved with players or get angry with. them,” Sehwag was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Sehwag, who was the mentor for Punjab Kings from 2016 to 2018, was not pleased with how Goenka behaved and said that he would be earning a profit irrespective of what happened.
“These are all businessmen. They only understand profit and loss. But here, there is no loss, so what's bothering them? You are earning a Rs 400-crore profit. I mean, this is a business where you have to do nothing at all. You have guys to take care of that, and irrespective of what happens, you are earning profit. So your work should only be to motivate the players. What happens is that the player will think that there are other franchises in the IPL; If I leave, someone else will take me. And if you lose a player, your chances of winning are zero. When I left Punjab, they were fifth. They never came fifth in any other season,” Sehwag said.
DC vs LSG match today
Following their defeat against SRH in their previous encounter, LSG aims to regain momentum in the playoff contention as they face off against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium today. The absence of their skipper, Rishabh Pant, proved costly for DC in their recent clash against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), denting their hopes for a playoff spot. Despite putting up a commendable effort to restrict RCB to 187 runs, the Capitals' batting lineup appeared vulnerable in Pant's absence, with only Axar Patel offering resistance with a gritty knock of 57 runs off 39 deliveries.
While the Delhi Capitals find themselves in a precarious position with only 14 points, their qualification for the playoffs hinges on the outcomes of other matches. Conversely, LSG, despite their inability to dismiss a single SRH batsman in their last match, still harbor hopes of reaching 16 points and changing their fortunes. However, their dented run rate adds an additional layer of dependency on results from matches involving other teams.
First Published: May 14 2024 | 11:04 AM ist