‘Better Off Not Captaining’: Wasim Jaffer Warns Against Giving KL Rahul Leadership Role

Reflecting on Rahul’s consistency with the bat, Jaffer suggested that taking leadership responsibilities away from the 33-year-old could allow him to perform at his best.

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Wasim Jaffer advises KL Rahul against captaincy.

Rahul’s batting flourishes without leadership burden.

Jaffer: Rahul is a bankable player, scores 500-600 runs.

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Teams warned against appointing KL Rahul as captain. (Picture Credit: Creimas)

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes KL Rahul is better off without the burden of captaincy, arguing that the star batter’s natural game flourishes when he can focus solely on his batting.

Jaffer, who represented India in Tests and ODIs during the 2000s and has also been part of the IPL as both a player and coach, shared his views on Rahul’s leadership prospects while speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Showon Doordarshan.

Reflecting on Rahul’s consistency with the bat, Jaffer suggested that taking leadership responsibilities away from the 33-year-old could allow him to perform at his best. According to the former India batter, Rahul is a “bankable player” who can consistently produce big runs and win matches on his own.

“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,” Jaffer said.

With India set to face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series in Galle and Colombo, Rahul’s role as a senior batter will be crucial to the team’s balance. He opened the innings for India in the first innings of the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI and scored 40 off 67 balls before not batting in the second innings.

Jaffer believes captaincy could add unnecessary pressure to Rahul, potentially affecting his natural approach with the bat.

“So I just feel that with the kind of personality he has, captaincy just puts a bit of added pressure on him,” he added.

Rahul is currently India’s Test vice-captain and has previously led the national side in both ODIs and T20Is. He also has considerable leadership experience in the IPL, having captained Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in the past.

Rahul currently represents Delhi Capitals and has been linked with the captaincy for the franchise ahead of the 2027 IPL season, with reports suggesting he could replace Axar Patel as skipper.

About the Author

Harshit BishtSenior Sub-editor

Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More

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Original source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/