IPL 2023: It is important to have someone like KL Rahul as captain, says Gautam Gambhir

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Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir believes the impact of KL Rahul is pivotal in the success of LSG in the IPL and says KL Rahul is the perfect leader to take them forward.

In the Lucknow Super Giants' jersey launch event, Gautam Gambhir heaped praises on LSG captain KL Rahul.

Rahul switched allegiance in the IPL last season as he left Punjab Kings for the IPL novices. The Indian batter led LSG in 2022 as they made it to the playoffs in their debut season. Gautam Gambhir worked in tandems with head coach Andy Flower last season and expects the team to do better this season.

And ahead of the new season, Gambhir has only good words to say for their captain KL Rahul.

"We are very fortunate to have someone like KL Rahul, who has a very stable and balanced head. I wish I had it, I did not have that. I was very extreme, but it did work for me. For a franchise like Lucknow, it is important to have someone like KL at the helm. Going forward, this is going to be a massive positive for us," Gambhir said at the jersey launch event on Tuesday (March 7).

Rahul is having a torrid period with the Indian team as he recently lost his Test vice-captain role and was left out of the team after a dismal run of form. But in the IPL last year, the swashbuckling batter did extremely well for Lucknow. He scored 616 runs in 15 matches for LSG and was their leading run-scorer.

And Gambhir thinks KL Rahul's body language and approach will dictate the fate of his team and ensured the staff will be there to support the LSG captain.

"The captain is the flag bearer of the team. It is the captain's team. All of us in the dressing room are there to support him. No support staff is under as much pressure as the captain. It is the body language of the captain that will decide how we perform," he added.

Gambhir himself was a flamboyant captain and did exceedingly well for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Taking over the reins in 2011, Gambhir led KKR to IPL triumph twice in 2012 and 2014.

IPL 2023 LSG First Match:

LSG will be playing their first match this season at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on April 1 as they take on Delhi Capitals. This will also be their first-ever match at their home ground in Lucknow. The IPL 2023 starts on March 31 and the first match will be a blockbuster clash between defending champions Gujarat Titans and MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings.