IPL 2021: Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul calls coach Wasim Jaffer to find out his aggressive side

With five half-centuries and hundreds under his belt in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul is definitely a class act. In the last edition of the IPL, Rahul gave him his first orange cap by playing a brilliant innings of 670 runs. But critics have for some time pointed fingers at Rahul’s strike rate, which he thinks could improve some. However, according to Punjab batting coach Wasim Jaffer, Rahul is expected to be more aggressive this time. “KL batted for a short period of time last season. He probably batted deep because there wasn’t much batting after No. 5, and Glenn Maxwell wasn’t firing,” The Punjab Kings website quoted him to the Times of India. He said, “He took the responsibility himself to stay at the crease and get the job done. This time, everyone will definitely see KL Rahul.”

Jafar talked about the strategic choices made by the franchise in relation to acquiring the right talent and putting them in the right position. He said that these decisions can help players like Rahul explore their full potential and play more freely and express themselves fully.

Commenting on the fresh talent in the side, Jafar focused on Shah Rukh Khan and said that it might be sinful to watch out. “He (Shahrukh) is an exceptional hitter. He played an important role in Syed Mushtaq Ali in Tamil Nadu’s title Vijay. Fabian Allen is another exciting talent, as is Prabhasimran Singh.”

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The Punjab Kings coach claimed that there is a lot more balance in his favor than last year. “We have a shortage of bowlers who can return Mohammed Shami. We have got two paceers in Jhe Richardson and Riley Meredith who can bowl quickly,” said Zafar.

Punjab Kings will take on Rajasthan Royals in their season opener match on Monday, April 12 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.