'It'll Change KL Rahul's T20 Batting Career': Sanjay Manjrekar's Big Advice to LSG to Change Their Fortunes

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Lucknow Super Giants should change their opening pair for the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after signing Devdutt Padikkal in the trading window. LSG made a big move by swapping Avesh Khan with Padikkal from Rajasthan Royals to strengthen their batting unit. The southpaw had a stellar star in IPL at Royal Challengers Bangalore but after moving to Rajasthan Royals things didn’t turn out well for him as they had a packed top-order. The Rajasthan management shuffled Padikkal’s batting order consistently which didn’t allow him to settle at the franchise.

However, it will be a fresh start for Padikkal at LSG and Manjrekar wants the franchise to make him open the innings alongside Quinton de Kock which can maximise his potential.

“I have got a very drastic suggestion. Because they have got somebody like a (Devdutt) Padikkal in, open with Padikkal and Quinton de Kock, because all good performances of Padikkal have come at the top,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.

In 57 IPL matches, Padikkal has scored 1521 runs which includes a century and 9 fifties.

With Padikkal at the top, Manjrekar feels KL Rahul can revive his T20 career while batting down the order and it can also change the fortunes of the franchise.

“Have KL Rahul bat down the order. It will change KL Rahul’s T20 batting career and the fortunes of the franchise as well,” he added.

Rahul had a forgettable last season with the bat as he scored just 274 runs in 9 matches at a strike rate of 113.22. He has also been out of India’s T20 scheme of things for almost a year.

LSG released a big chunk of players on the retention deadline day –  Jaydev Unadkat, Daniel Sams, Manan Vohra, Swapnil Singh, Karan Sharma, Arpit Guleria, Suryansh Shedge and Karun Nair.

Players retained by LSG

KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Prerak Mankad, Yudhvir Singh, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Naveen-ul-Haq, Devdutt Padikkal (Traded).