LSG is the team KL Rahul would be wanting to perform against: Cheteshwar Pujara
India batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels KL Rahul would want to score against his former team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as Delhi Capitals take them on in their next fixture on Tuesday, April 22. Rahul captained LSG for three seasons and led them to the playoffs twice before the franchise decided to release him ahead of the mega auction for the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025).advertisementHe was bought by Delhi Capitals (DC) in the mega auction for Rs 14 Crore and has been having a prolific season for them. In the six innings played in the ongoing edition so far, Rahul has scored 266 runs at an average of 53.20 with two half-centuries to his name. Ahead of DC's fixture against LSG, Pujara mentioned that Rahul would be keen to score against Lucknow.'I think as a professional cricketer you try and move on from what has happened in the past, but at the same time there's a little bit which always plays in your mind. So this is the team he might be wanting to perform against, but not a lot. I would say that even if it is, it'll be just 10-20% which might play on his mind, but apart from that, I don't think he will be thinking too much about performing against LSG,' Pujara said on ESPNCricinfo.advertisement
Furthermore, Pujara mentioned how Rahul has looked a different player this season as he's batting with a lot more freedom and is not carrying any extra baggage.'With the way he's batting, it is definitely different. He has a bit more freedom, the kind of shots which he's playing, it looks like he has gained a lot of confidence from Champions trophy and the way he is performing across formats, so he is definitely a confident player now. There were times where he was carrying a lot of baggage, but now he has cleared all those things, and now he's in his zone. So in that way I would say emotionally he's a lot more balanced. There are times where he thought a lot about what was happening outside the bubble, which I'm sure he is not doing it now,' he added.Rahul played crucial knocks for India during their victorious run in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as he took the team over the finishing line with his handy contributions in the middle order. He accumulated 140 runs from four innings at an average of 140 and a strike rate of 97.90. The right-handed batter has carried his rich form in the IPL as well and will be eager to continue it against LSG.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
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