“We are very lucky to have KL Rahul as our captain”: LSG coach Justin Langer

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], March 24 (ANI): Before locking horns against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 in Jaipur, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) said that they are “lucky” to have their skipper KL Rahul back in the squad.

In the 2023 season of the IPL, the LSG skipper sustained an injury in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). While chasing a ball in the outfield in the second over, he clutched it at his thigh and then limped off the field. Following that, Rahul missed the remaining matches of the IPL 2023.

Langer said that LSG are a “well-prepared” franchise. He added that they have a “experienced” batting order and lots of “talent” in their bowling attack.

“My vision for this franchise is that it’s a very well-prepared franchise. We build a foundation that’s made of concrete and we are very lucky to have KL Rahul as our captain and he’s back. We have a very, very experienced batting order. We have also got a lot of talent in our bowling unit. So, I am looking forward to an exciting brand of cricket,” Langer said while speaking to the franchise.

The Australian coach added that they have to “concentrate” on the 17th season of the IPL and forget about the past failures.

“I believe that winning is a habit. The reality is that the last two years are gone. There’s nothing we can do about that. We must now concentrate on the first game of this season… One goal, that’s to win it,” he added.

“A new era begins today,” wrote LSG while sharing the interview on X.

LSG squad for IPL 2024: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph (replacement for Mark Wood), Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, K. Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, David Willey, Mohd. Arshad Khan. (ANI)