TATA IPL 2024: KL Rahul joins LSG Ahead Of First Match Against Rajasthan

KL Rahul, captain of the Lucknow Super Giants, joined the team's camp on March 20 to commence his preparations for IPL 2024, set to begin on March 22. He received a warm welcome, with LSG presenting an uplifting video in honor of their captain, who is back after an injury sidelined him for much of the previous season.

The wicketkeeper-batsman sustained a thigh injury early in IPL 2023, forcing him out for the rest of the season. Krunal Pandya took over the captaincy, leading the team to a third-place finish. Rahul's comeback is a significant morale boost for the franchise, particularly as they aim to break their eliminator curse in the upcoming 2024 season. He has been sidelined since the first Test between India and England, held in Hyderabad earlier this year.

The LSG captain, who was absent for the remaining four Tests due to fitness concerns, underwent rehabilitation at the NCA before receiving clearance to join the IPL. In the welcome video shared by LSG on their social media platforms, they provided a sneak peek of KL Rahul, who also performed his well-known hands-on-the-ear celebration upon joining the camp. Since their debut in IPL 2022, LSG has secured third place in each of the past two seasons, yet they have struggled to progress beyond the Eliminator stage.

In 2022, they faced defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore, and in 2023, they were bested by the Mumbai Indians. Rahul has experienced a frustrating few years due to ongoing fitness concerns. The prominent player only featured in nine matches during the previous IPL season before sustaining an injury in their match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He underwent surgery in England, causing him to miss out on the World Test Championship final in June of the preceding year.

He made his return in the Asia Cup 2023 and went on to perform brilliantly with the bat followed by an impressive outing in the ODI World Cup at home as well. With 452 runs to his name at an average of 75.33, Rahul ended up as the eighth-highest run-getter in the tournament where India reached the finals. Rahul performed well on the South Africa tour and was also named in India's Test squad against England. After performing well in the first Test match, Rahul got injured and was sidelined from the rest of the series. While IPL 2024 kicks off on March 22 with the first match set to be played between defending champions CSK and RCB, LSG will begin their campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 24.