KL Rahul’s absence from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2023 Eliminator against Mumbai Indians (MI) left a noticeable void, as stated by Tom Moody, the former coach of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Rahul suffered an injury on May 1 during a match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Moody expressed his disappointment at the impact of Rahul’s absence on LSG’s batting collapse during the Wednesday game in Chennai.
LSG managed to reach the playoffs for the second consecutive time; however, their journey ended once again at the Eliminator stage. In their first innings, MI posted a target of 182 runs. LSG’s chase got off to a disastrous start with the early dismissals of Prerak Mankad and Kyle Mayers.
Although Marcus Stoinis attempted to stabilize the innings, the dismissal of Krunal Pandya triggered a major batting collapse. Akash Madhwal delivered an exceptional performance, taking figures of 5/5 in 3.3 overs, resulting in LSG’s total collapse at a mere 101 runs. MI secured a spot in Qualifier 2.
Since Rahul’s injury, LSG had to navigate the tournament without their captain. Moody believes that Rahul’s absence had a significant impact on LSG’s performance in the Eliminator. In an interview, Moody stated that Rahul could have scored at least three half-centuries had he played the remaining games for LSG.
Moody emphasized that Rahul’s presence in LSG’s batting lineup would have provided stability and a substantial contribution of runs. He further added that although Rahul occasionally faces criticism for his strike rate, he has proven his abilities on numerous occasions. The absence of an abundance of runs was sorely felt by the team.
Rahul’s absence proved to be a significant setback for LSG in the critical Eliminator clash. The team will undoubtedly reflect on the impact his presence could have had in the match, leaving them to wonder what might have been with their star batsman on the field.