Why was KL Rahul replaced by Nicholas Pooran as LSG captain in IPL 2024 game against Punjab Kings

Rahul subsequently walked out to open the batting with Quinton de Kock.

Rahul, returning from a quadriceps injury that ruled him out of the India-England Test series before the IPL season, made his comeback with a 44-ball 58 against Rajasthan Royals last Sunday, albeit in a losing cause.

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“KL is coming back from injury and we’re looking to give him a break in such a long tournament, but he’ll play as an impact player today,” Pooran said at the toss.

Rahul had also missed the second leg of the IPL 2023 due to a hamstring injury before Lucknow fell in the Eliminator of the Playoffs to Mumbai Indians.

After the car crash, Nicholas Pooran underwent two surgeries and it took many months of rehab for him to get mobile on his feet again. (Screengrabs via Nicholas Pooran’s Instagram)

The 31-year-old had since made a strong return for India, forging a crucial part of the middle-order in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Rahul was also one of India’s leading batters in the Test tour to South Africa before making 89 runs against England in the first of the five-Test series at home in Hyderabad in January.

While the Karnataka batter regained fitness in time for the IPL, the medical team of the BCCI had advised Rahul not to keep wicket in the initial stages of the tournament, and play as a specialist batsman. However, Rahul was the designated keeper and opening batter for Lucknwow in their tournament opener.

Rahul fell for 15 off nine deliveries and was later replaced by Impact sub Naveen-ul-Haq in the final over of Lucknow’s innings.

Rahul last featured in a T20I for India during the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal defeat to England in Adelaide.