KL Rahul to enter IPL auction as last ditch to save T20 career
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KL Rahul, the veteran Indian batter, has been in trade talks with the Kolkata Knight Riders for a long time now. However, they could not propose anything that could lure the Delhi Capitals enough to release their marquee player from the previous season.
IPL has constantly been updating talks related to the trade window in the IPL. The retention lists are to be announced on the 15th of November, and all teams are looking to fix some trades with the teams ahead of the mini-auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders have once again been looking forward to changing their leadership and hence have cited a replacement for Ajinkya Rahane.
The mini-auction would not have a large pool of players to be picked from; hence, such is their desperation in the pre-season trades.
KKR proposed three swap deals for KL Rahul
The Kolkata Knight Riders have had several informal meetings with the Delhi Capitals batter, KL Rahul. It has been reported that three such combinations have been proposed by the Kolkata Knight Riders to the Delhi Capitals.
The first direct swap involved Sunil Narine, as the Capitals pestered for a player of similar stature to KL Rahul in a swap deal. However, the Capitals denied such an offer. The second was a combination of the young gun Angkrish Raghuvanshi and their middle-order batter Rinku Singh.
Third such involvement included Indian batting specialist Harshit Rana and the youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi. However, they have not agreed to any such deal with the three-time IPL champions.
Delhi Capitals are close to formalizing the Tristan Stubbs deal with the Rajasthan Royals
Ever since Abhishek Nayar took over, he has started having second thoughts. For KKR, both Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana are their homegrown players, and they wish to see a lot of years with the two.
The Delhi Capitals have processed that Tristan Stubbs, alongside another uncapped player with the name yet to be finalized, to swap with Sanju Samson from the Rajasthan Royals. This would lead to a massive change in the squad dynamics of the Capitals.
However, the Royals would mend their issues with middle-order batting as well as a spinner in the lower order who can provide strong finishes.
How would Sanju Samson and KL Rahul fit in the same playing XI?
If Sanju Samson's deal is finalized and he moves to the Delhi Capitals camp, then the squad value would be amplified by the presence of the two legendary Indian players. They would then have the likes of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav in the team from the Indian national side.
KL Rahul was their best inclusion last season and their highest scorer. However, where do Rahul and Samson fit in the same playing XI? If Samson opens with Abhishek Porel, Rahul would be demoted in the middle order, much to his agony.
While Sanju Samson, who is promoted to no. 3, has failed to be very promising as well. The only option would mark Abhishek Porel being promoted down the order, and the two Indian batsmen batting at the top of the order.
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