Former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan was blunt in his criticism of LSG captain KL Rahul’s batting approach following the Lucknow Super Giants’ crushing loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
McClenaghan slammed Rahul for his hesitant approach at the crease after LSG’s poor performance, highlighting his 33-ball 29 knock in particular that did not provide his team the momentum they needed.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, McClenaghan said, “I don’t know what will wake KL up. He needs to up the tempo if he wants to to be successful and to continue playing for India.”
McClenaghan noted Rahul’s assumed duty for carrying the team’s batting load. The former Kiwi pacer urged him to put his faith in his teammates and embrace an aggressive approach without thinking of failure.
“He needs to overcome the feeling that ‘you’re the only one who can score runs,’ which is similar to what we’ve observed with Virat (Kohli). Have trust in the other guys to finish the task. It appears as though he is the team’s main player,” McClenaghan continued.
The Kiwi pacer highlighted the significance that coaching support had in helping Rahul make the move. He also suggested that encouraging words from top management, such as Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, may help to build the confidence of the wicketkeeper-batter.
“To give him the trust that it’s alright to fail and we won’t drop you, it will require an exceptionally good coach and a strong coaching framework or management.”
McClenaghan showed belief in Rahul’s skills and his ability to recover.
“He’s a great batter and I’m sure he’ll work hard and bounce back,” he concluded.