KL Rahul better off without captaincy, says Wasim Jaffer
New Delhi, August 10
Former India opener and Punjab Kings batting coach Wasim Jaffer believes KL Rahul is better suited without the added responsibility of captaincy, saying the star batter performs at his best when he can concentrate solely on his batting.
Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, former Punjab Kings batting coach Wasim Jaffer shared his insights regarding KL Rahul's career and leadership roles.
Reflecting on Rahul's batting consistency versus his temperament for captaincy, Jaffer suggested that freeing the batter from leadership duties allows his natural game to flourish.
"KL Rahul's personality is better off not captaining because if you leave him to play, I think he'll always give you 500-600 runs. He's a bankable player. He will win 2-3 games on his own, which he does in every season," he said on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan.
Jaffer said that captaincy adds extra pressure for KL Rahul, given his personality.
"So I just feel that with the kind of personality he has, captaincy just puts a bit of added pressure on him," he said.
With India set to face Sri Lanka in an upcoming two-match Test series in Galle and Colombo, Rahul's role purely as a core senior batter remains pivotal to the team's balance. In the three-day practice match against SLC XI, which concluded on Sunday, KL came in as an opener in the 1st innings and scored 40 off 67 balls. He did not bat in the 2nd innings.
Notably, India registered a six-wicket win against a Sri Lanka XI, providing several positives ahead of the two-Test WTC series. Shubman Gill eased injury concerns with a fluent 44, Devdutt Padikkal strengthened his case for the No. 3 spot with a 142-run knock, while Ravindra Jadeja impressed with both bat and ball.
— ANI
Reader Comments
KL Rahul is one of India's most talented batters. If removing captaincy helps him score 500-600 runs consistently, then it's a no-brainer. India needs him as a pure batter especially in overseas conditions. Let Shubman or someone else handle captaincy.
I agree with Jaffer. KL is a world-class opener but captaincy seems to weigh him down. The way he plays when free of pressure is completely different. He becomes more attacking and confident. Decent analysis by Jaffer.
True! Wasim Jaffer knows what he's talking about. KL Rahul is such a graceful batter when he's relaxed. Captaincy brings so much pressure - the reviews, field placements, man-management... sometimes it's just not worth it if it affects your batting.
But isn't this a bit unfair to KL? Yes, his numbers are better without captaincy, but don't we learn and grow through challenges? He has been a decent captain for LSG. However, for Team India, maybe this is the right call. 😊
Wasim Jaffer has been part of the PBKS setup so he's seen KL from close quarters. His observations make sense. Rahul is a 'bankable player' indeed - he played amazing knocks for us in tough situations. Let him just bat and score runs for India. 🇮🇳
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.