Kings XI Punjab head coach Anil Kumble has backed the new skipper, KL Rahul to deliver the goods as the leader of the team. Rahul has been handed over the captaincy baton after former skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was traded out to Delhi Capitals. The stylish batsman has been the team’s top performer in the last two seasons and he would like to lead with aplomb in IPL 2020.
Meanwhile, Rahul has also returned back to form. The flamboyant batsman scored a fine century in the second ODI against the West Indies. Furthermore, he scored a valuable fifty in the all-important decider. Thus, Rahul will aim to continue the same form in the upcoming year.
Rahul has returned back to form.
Anil Kumble stated the team wanted to give responsibility to Rahul. Kumble added that this is the right time for the team to give the baton to the Karnataka batsman.
“We wanted to give responsibility to KL Rahul. This is the right time for him to take over the mantle and it is important to build a franchise around an Indian player and there’s no one better than Rahul,” Kumble told Sportstar.
“He is extremely talented and we know the quality that he brings to the team as a batsman and as a wicketkeeper if at all he has to keep. And then the respect he commands in the team,” Kumble further added.
Kumble added that Rahul has been the team’s top performer in the last two seasons. The former Indian captain went on to add that the team will try to support the new captain in all the possible ways.
“Last two years he’s been the best performer for the King’s XI with the bat. Obviously, all these things matter. With the kind of support team that we have put together, the coaching team, I strongly believe that we will be able to support Rahul in every way so that he can flourish as a captain,” Kumble asserted.
KL Rahul was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2019 with 593 runs in 14 innings. He would aim to give a solid platform to his team and also lead from the front.