KL Rahul on his expectations from his next IPL franchise as he enters in the marquee list ahead of the mega auction.
KL Rahul has laid down the things he is looking to expect from his next IPL side.
Ahead of the upcoming IPL cycle, Rahul is excited to play with “freedom” in a “much more balanced” setting as he approaches the super auction. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) cut Rahul after they finished sixth in the 2024 Indian Premier League.
At the time, franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka spoke of their keenness to hold on to “players who have a mindset to win” and those that “put the team before their personal goals and aspirations”. Did that in any way prompt Rahul’s keenness to enter the auction?
“No, I mean, I think the decision was made already. I don’t know what the comments are, but they must have come after the announcement,” Rahul told Star Sports in an interview aired on November 12. “I just felt like I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom and the team atmosphere would be something much more balanced.
“The pressure is already there in the IPL, it’s so high. You see teams like Gujarat [Titans] and CSK [Chennai Super Kings] and all of these teams, and you see when they win or lose, they seem really balanced and the dressing room is really calm. That’s something that’s very important for me as a player. I feel like if that happens, it gives all the players the best chance to perform.
“We tried that at LSG with Andy Flower [head coach] and GG [Gautam Gambhir, mentor] first and then last year with [new head coach, Justin] Langer, we tried to create that in the change room. I think it was a brilliant atmosphere in the change room. I think sometimes you just need to move away and find something good for yourself.”
Rahul was realistic about the prospect of playing anywhere, despite the growing social media rumours of a possible reunion with his local team, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, it is known which team he prefers. Will he make a return to RCB?
“Yeah, of course like I said, it’s kind of home and the people there know me as a local Kannada boy, and it would be nice to go back there and get an opportunity again. But yeah, it’s an auction year so you can go anywhere.”