KL Rahul better off without captaincy, says former coach Wasim Jaffer

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes KL Rahul is better without captaincy, stating the added pressure hinders his natural game. Jaffer feels Rahul is a bankable batter who guarantees runs and can win games on his own when not burdened by leadership.

Former India opener and Punjab Kings batting coach Wasim Jaffer believes KL Rahul is better suited without the added responsibility of captaincy, saying the star batter performs at his best when he can concentrate solely on his batting. Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, former Punjab Kings batting coach Wasim Jaffer shared his insights regarding KL Rahul's career and leadership roles.

Jaffer on Captaincy Pressure

Reflecting on Rahul's batting consistency versus his temperament for captaincy, Jaffer suggested that freeing the batter from leadership duties allows his natural game to flourish. "KL Rahul's personality is better off not captaining because if you leave him to play, I think he'll always give you 500-600 runs. He's a bankable player. He will win 2-3 games on his own, which he does in every season," he said on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan.

Jaffer said that captaincy adds extra pressure for KL Rahul, given his personality. "So I just feel that with the kind of personality he has, captaincy just puts a bit of added pressure on him," he said.

Upcoming Sri Lanka Tour

With India set to face Sri Lanka in an upcoming two-match Test series in Galle and Colombo, Rahul's role purely as a core senior batter remains pivotal to the team's balance. In the three-day practice match against SLC XI, which concluded on Sunday, KL came in as an opener in the 1st innings and scored 40 off 67 balls. He did not bat in the 2nd innings.

Notably, India registered a six-wicket win against a Sri Lanka XI, providing several positives ahead of the two-Test WTC series. Shubman Gill eased injury concerns with a fluent 44, Devdutt Padikkal strengthened his case for the No. 3 spot with a 142-run knock, while Ravindra Jadeja impressed with both bat and ball. (ANI)

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