KL Rahul in focus in strong batting line-up as LSG look to break Eliminator jinx in new IPL season

Indian wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul and his batting place shall be underneath the highlight as Lucknow Super Giants are wanting to break their Eliminator jinx in the Indian Premier League. Coming into their third season of the match, LSG have appointed Justin Langer as their new head coach who comes in for Andy Flower. 

KL Rahul makes his return to aggressive cricket after lacking out on the most important chunk of the India vs England Test collection. While the BCCI didn’t affirm his health standing for IPL when the board gave updates on Rishabh Pant, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Shami, a report in PTI knowledgeable that Rahul can be match in time for LSG’s opening match on March 24. However, he’s advised to “avoid squatting initially” which signifies that he won’t hold wickets in the few preliminary matches.

LSG’s new buys

LSG added fast-bowling shares on the IPL auctions. They purchased in David Willey (Rs 2 crore), Shivam Mavi (Rs. 6.40 crore), Arshin Kulkarni (Rs. 20 lakh), M. Siddharth (Rs. 2.40 crore), Ashton Turner (Rs. 1 crore) and Mohd. Arshad Khan (Rs. 20 lakh).

LSG’s strengths

LSG have a strong batting line-up and all-rounders up their ranks. The likes of KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Quinton de Kock, Devdutt Padikkal, Kyle Mayers and Ayush Badoni enhance their batting armoury. They have good choices in the all-rounders’ class too with Krunal Pandya, Stoinis, Arshin Kulkarni and Kyle Mayers in their ranks. 

LSG’s weaknesses

There are a number of weaknesses nonetheless in the workforce. There is an absence of skilled fast-bowling gamers and one might doubt the spin shares too, contemplating they host video games on the gradual pitches of Ekana Cricket Stadium. LSG have Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra and Krunal Pandya in their workforce and added Manimaran Siddharth, who’s but to make his IPL debut. Apart from them, they look skinny on spin-bowling. 

They have good names in the fast-bowling division in Shamar Joseph, David Willey, and Naveen-ul-Haq, however there’s a lack of expertise as there is no such thing as a veteran pacer.

Another query they want to deal with is what can be Rahul’s batting place. There had been stories earlier that he’s set to go into the center order this season and likewise hold wickets as he appears to come into the fray for the T20 World Cup in June. 

They have another excuse to change his batting place as LSG have acquired Padikkal into the workforce as a commerce for Avesh Khan and have already got Mayers and de Kock in the ranks.

LSG’s possible taking part in XI:

Devdutt Padikkal, Quinton de Kock/Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, KL Rahul, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis/Ashton Turner, Nicholas Pooran, Okay Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq/Shamar Joseph, Yash Thakur/Shivam Mavi

Impact participant choices: Ayush Badoni can come in for an Indian bowler once they bat to make the batting even taller and Shivam Mavi or Yash Thakur can come once they bowl