KL Rahul: Strike rate is over-rated in T20 cricket, people are supposed to look at context

“It’s based on that particular day and that particular situation and who are the two batters in the middle and what the team, overall, feels is the best way to play on that particular day and situation,” said Lucknow Super Giants captain Rahul at the jersey launch.

From right to left: Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir, owner Sanjiv Goenka and captain KL Rahul during the Jersey Launch of the IPL franchise in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

Over the last few weeks, KL Rahul’s form has been under scrutiny. After a string of low scores, the batter was dropped from the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Indore last week.

In the last 10 Test innings, Rahul has had an average of 12.5 with the highest score of 23. But that hasn’t stopped him from preparing hard.

With the Indian Premier League just three weeks away, the Lucknow Super Giants captain made it clear that strike rate is ‘over-rated’ in the shortest format of the game. “It is over-rated. People are supposed to look at the context. If you are chasing 140 in a game, there is no need for you to have a strike rate of 200. There are players who will be encouraged to play their natural game and there will be certain players who would take the responsibility of seeing the team through.

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“It’s based on that particular day and that particular situation and who are the two batters in the middle and what the team, overall, feels is the best way to play on that particular day and situation,” Rahul said during the jersey launch of the Lucknow franchise on Tuesday.

In presence of LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, mentor Gautam Gambhir and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Rahul said, “You try and create a plan in your mind - the best you know as a player - and try to give your best performance. Someday it will work, someday it won’t. For players, it becomes simple when you know what to do on that particular day and not be stubborn and say, ‘I have to play like this’. When you say ‘I have to play’, it becomes about you and not about the team. So, it’s about the two batters in the middle and what they need to do as a team - for Team India or Lucknow - and what they can do in the current situation to make sure that the team wins.”

From left to right: Lucknow Super Giants Captain K L Rahul, mentor Gautam Gambhir, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka during the jersey launch of Lucknow Super Giants in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/The Hindu

The Lucknow captain also said that the franchise, which made its debut in the IPL last year, has been able to create a balance in the team.

After playing all its games in Mumbai last season, Lucknow will finally have its home games this time around and the franchise is confident of yielding results. And to connect to the fans, the franchise launched a new jersey, designed by Kunal Rawal and some of its top players - Rahul, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan - walked the ramp to make the occasion special.

The Lucknow outfit will begin its campaign against Delhi Capitals on April 1.