Kolkata Knight Riders’ newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer has heaped praises on KL Rahul for his captaincy.
Iyer played under KL Rahul’s leadership during the ODI series against South Africa earlier this year. The Mumbai batter was impressed with the way Rahul led the Indian team despite losing the series by 3-0. Speaking in the Red Bull Cricket Room on Clubhouse, Iyer said:
“It was nice to play under him. Firstly, he is an outstanding player. The confidence he carries on the field and in the team meetings, the support that he provides to the players, is great.”
He’s got a very calm demeanour and his on-field decision-making is very instinctive. I really enjoyed playing under him.”
Rahul had handed the ball to Iyer in the third ODI against South Africa, where he bowled three overs. His bowling hadn’t been tried by other captains.
“Also, he gave me three overs of bowling, which none of the captains previously had done. So yeah, he’s my favourite captain,”
Iyer added.
KL Rahul has led the Punjab Kings side in the IPL in 2020 and 2021. However, the popular opinion about his captaincy doesn’t match with Iyer’s. Rahul has been criticised in the past for his tactical limitations. His new franchise would hope he is an improved player in that regard.
KL Rahul is set to lead Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2022, which commences on March 26. Rahul was picked by the new franchise as a draft pick for INR 17 Crores, making him the joint highest-paid player in the tournament’s history.
Iyer, who entered into the 2022 mega auction, was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 12.25 Crores and was appointed as the captain of the side. He has previously captained Delhi Capitals for a few years and took them to their first-ever final in the 2020 edition of the tournament.
