KL Rahul has been criticised for scoring a 20-ball 18 in a run-chase of 213 against Royal Challengers Bangalore today (April 10), with his strike rate coming under the scanner yet again.

The Lucknow Super Giants skipper’s scoring rate has been under the scanner in the IPL of late, with Rahul striking at 133.09 since 2019. Rahul had set the stage on fire in 2016 when he ended with 397 runs at a strike rate of 146.49 and followed it up in 2018 after missing the 2017 season due to injury, making 659 runs and hitting at 158.41.

Rahul has scored over 5oo runs in each of the last four seasons of the IPL but has not been able to strike at more than 140 in any year. Thrice in this period, he struck below 136, which prompted Sanjay Manjrekar to state that Rahul was “temperamentally not suited” to being the key player.

The 30-year-old has not had the greatest start to the 2023 IPL, scoring 8 (12), 20 (18) and 35 (31) before the game against RCB. On Monday, Rahul walked out to open the innings after his team had conceded 212 in the first innings, with the asking rate already reading 10.65. Rahul started off cautiously, scoring seven in the first eight balls that he faced, and was unable to get going thereafter, taking 12 more balls for his next 11 runs.

Rahul faced a total of five dots in his innings and hit just one four, with his team collapsing to 23-3 in four overs. Though Marcus Stoinis struck a blazing 30-ball 65 at the other end, Rahul was unable to keep up with the ante and was dismissed in the 12th over by Mohammed Siraj with a strike rate of 90, leaving his team reeling at 105-5.

LSG went on to win the clash by one wicket courtesy of a 19-ball 62 by Nicholas Pooran, but Rahul’s innings came under the scanner nonetheless, with many questioning his intent with the asking rate climbing.

Earlier, Rahul had said: “Strike rates are overrated. You need to look at it in the context of the game. If you are chasing a 140-game, there’s no need for you to play at 200 strike rate.”

Rahul’s innings was not the only knock that was criticised on the night, with Virat Kohli’s 44-ball 61 coming under scrutiny as well. 

KL Rahul’s innings is timely given that I wrote a little about his batting yesterday in my mailbag – specifically focusing on the question around options which players take. pic.twitter.com/wFDJhPXx3J

— Dan Weston (@SAAdvantage) April 10, 2023

Not one shot with intent from KL Rahul in the PP while chasing 213. Don’t know what’s in his mind. You simply can’t bat like this #IPL2023 #CricketTwitter #RCBvLSG

— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) April 10, 2023

This innings from KL Rahul has to be the most hideous innings played in the history of IPL ever considering the context of the game. Man. What’s in his mind? Seriously. This can’t happen for so long at this level. It’s not school cricket #DoddaMathu #IPL2023 #CricketTwitter

— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) April 10, 2023

KL Rahul never fails to disappoint when the pressure is on, 18 off 20 balls chasing 213 👀#RCBvLSG

— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) April 10, 2023

KL Rahul with another powerful demonstration of how strike rates are overrated #IPL2023 #RCBvLSG

— Rishad Dsouza (@Rishouza) April 10, 2023

Once again, we must ask, why is a batter of KL Rahul’s strokemaking ability choosing to bat so conservatively?

Today:
• 18 off 20 (5.40 RPO)
• 1 four, 0 sixes

This season:
• 81 off 81 (6.0 RPO)
• 7 fours, 1 six (bdry/10 balls)#RCBvLSG🏏🔴🔵#IPL2023

— Nakul Pande (@NakulMPande) April 10, 2023

KL Rahul with another powerful demonstration of how strike rates are overrated #IPL2023 #RCBvLSG

— Rishad Dsouza (@Rishouza) April 10, 2023

Spent all powerplay standing. Takes on the field when it is spread. How do you explain that 18 off 20 to the dressing room as captain… when chasing 213?!

Typical from KL Rahul. #IPL2023 #RCBvLSG

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) April 10, 2023

So you see, like with KL Rahul today, many times you use up deliveries at the top and don't get the finish. That is why using up balls assuming you will get a finish is a poor choice, especially in a 200 kind of game. If you do get a finish, effectively, you've got out of jail.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 10, 2023