IPL 2023: KL Rahul Asserts Strike Rate Is Over-Rated

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul has brushed aside concerns over his strike rate by saying that the strike rate is over-rated and it’s the context of the game that matters, not the scoring rate. He also suggested that numbers can be misleading at times. Rahul’s remarks came at the jersey launch of LSG in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, March 7.

Speaking to an auditorium at Lucknow Super Giants’ kit launch, Rahul was asked whether he stood by his stance that the strike rate is over-rated in T20. The LSG skipper responded by saying that he still stands by his statement that the strike rate is overrated. Rahul believes that the strike rate is situation dependent. The wicket-keeper batter also revealed that he’s going to give freedom to the batters to play their natural game whether it’s playing at a brisk rate or playing as a sheet anchor in the team.

Out of favor with the Indian team, Rahul has been under the radar of many critics for playing at a snail-like pace since the 2020 edition of the IPL. Despite being the opener, he has been found guilty of playing slow knocks in the cash-rich league. In this age and time, there is a lot of emphasis on the strike rate in a format like T20. Many players around the globe are now trying to match with renowned big hitters like Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Glenn Phillips, Andre Russell, etc.

IPL 2023: Rahul Reaffirms His Stance on Strike Rate Debate

“I’ve said it before, I think it [strike rate] is over-rated. You need to also look at the context of the game, if you’re chasing 140 there is no need for you to score at a 200-strike rate. There are players in the team that we will encourage to play their natural game and there will be certain players that will have to take the responsibility of seeing the team through. It’s based on that particular day and particular situation and what the two batsmen in the middle and what the team overall feels like is the best way to play,” said KL Rahul at LSG’s jersey launch.

Like it often happens, Rahul’s strike-rate comment has prompted significant debate, not least because of the perceived change in Rahul’s own approach. Till the 2018 season, Rahul used to play at a strike rate of over 150. However, since the 2018 season, given captaincy duties, his strike rate has fallen from 150 to mid-130s.