KL Rahul divides Lucknow Supergiants in 2 halves!! Coach openly backs player citing MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma

Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has proven his mettle as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) over the past three years, earning praise for KL Rahul's leadership despite the team falling short of the playoffs in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Amidst the speculation of changes in the leadership, thanks to the IPL 2024 episode between KL Rahul and the franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka, LSG's fielding coach Jonty Rhodes hailed the skipper for his excellent captaincy, particularly considering that the team only made its debut in 2022.

Jonty Rhodes hails KL Rahul's captaincy amid leadership speculation at LSG

Jonty Rhodes was quoted as saying by India Today: “I think if you look at a record as a captain of a brand-new franchise, getting into the playoffs every time as he has, it's been something that goes a long way towards his captaincy, to the way that he leads the team and the sort of set up and the approach that he has.”

Under KL Rahul's captaincy, the LSG made it to the IPL playoffs in its first two seasons, highlighting his leadership style and the approach he has instilled within the squad, which impressed the Proteas great more.

The way KL Rahul has managed the team, built a strong foundation, and created a positive culture has led the South African great to compare him with some of the IPL's most successful captains, including Rohit Sharma.

Rhodes further noted, “So, you know, to look at Rohit's record as a captain, Dhoni's record as a captain, the trophies that those guys have won, and the consistency that they've done to winning trophies, from LSG's point of view, it might just be one thing getting into the final, winning the trophy.”

He's done an excellent job at the helm: Rhodes on Rahul

Although LSG has yet to clinch the coveted IPL trophy, Rhodes believes that the Lucknow franchise is on the brink of a breakthrough. Comparing LSG’s journey to other successful franchises, the fielding coach has noted that even the most dominant teams took time to establish themselves before winning multiple titles.

Rhodes further hailed KL Rahul for his efforts in nurturing a diverse group of players and bringing together talents from across the country and beyond, which have laid the groundwork for LSG's future success in the tournament. He said that the LSG has the potential to achieve its ultimate goal.

He signed off by saying, “It then turns out MI didn't win a trophy for quite a few years at the start. Once they learned how to win trophies, they kept going and kept going."

"So, I think from that point of view, I think he's done an excellent job at the helm, with a brand new franchise, setting up a new culture, with new owners and, and that I think is an indication of how well he's captained the team in a set-up where there are players from all over the country in India who are very different and all over the world.”

As the franchise looks ahead to the IPL 2025 mega auction, there is uncertainty surrounding Rahul's retention.

However, his contributions to the team's development and his ability to steer a new franchise with such promise could force the LSG to retain Rahul as their skipper for the next season.