PBKS co-owner speaks on Lucknow franchise approaching KL Rahul
Punjab Kings has revealed the two retentions for the future IPL seasons, as they hope to now play some better cricket and win an IPL tournament. The franchise wanted to keep KL Rahul as the team’s captain, but the batter preferred to go to auction. If other teams had approached him prior to his release, the club co-owner feels it is unethical under BCCI guidelines.
Though Punjab Kings were unable to make a greater impression in the competition, Rahul has been outstanding for the team. He concluded the previous season as the team’s leading run-scorer, with 626 runs from 13 matches. He has been consistently playing some really good live cricket and was wanted by a host of teams.
According to current sources, the new franchise Lucknow sought the keeper-batter before the Punjab franchise discharged him. They were keen on confirming his addition to their squad.
“We wanted to keep Rahul, but he wanted to re-enter the auction. It would be unethical if he had been contacted by another club before that,” Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia stated, as reported by News 18 Cricket Next.
He also spoke up about Rahul being contacted by Lucknow. “I hope not,” he responded, “since it is against the BCCI’s principles.”
The Punjab Kings co-owners speaks on the players retained
Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh have been retained by the club for the forthcoming seasons of the high-profile competition. Punjab Kings will now approach the big auction with a purse of INR 72 crores after just two retentions.
“We are overjoyed to keep Mayank and Arshdeep. Mayank has been a fantastic player for us, and he has been devoted to the brand. Arshdeep has also been with us for a time, and I can only see him becoming better. I envision him playing for India in the not-too-distant future,” Wadia remarked.
Punjab hasn’t had a very strong showing in the competition in previous years. As a result, with just two retentions, management may be intending to form an entirely new team. Wadia shed insight on these issues and expressed faith that they will be able to find the correct mix at the auction.
“At Punjab Kings, I do not believe we have performed as well as we could or could have. We could have done a lot better. The most important thing is that we work hard to guarantee that the players and staff get the freedom they deserve while remaining united. It is now necessary to consider how to go on in that spirit. Hopefully, we will find the perfect mix at the auction and then we will go on,” Wadia concluded the interview by saying.
KL Rahul’s desire to leave Punjab Kings (PBKS) proved true, as the premier batsman was not among the players retained by the franchise on Tuesday. Rahul was on his way out of the franchise, according to multiple reports. And Rahul, who would have been PBKS’ first choice for retention, was not on the list of players who were retained.
The story further coming with regards to the interest of the player and what the team management thinks at present?
Following the announcement, Anil Kumble, PBKS’s director of cricket operations, revealed that the franchise wanted to keep Rahul, but he chose to leave. In an interview with Star Sports, Kumble stated: “We wanted to keep him, which is why we chose him as captain two years ago. But he decided to participate in the auction. That is something we appreciate, and we respect his choice. It’s all up to the player.”
Rahul’s departure from PBKS does not imply that he will return to the auction. Rahul has reportedly piqued the interest of the two new IPL franchises and will most likely lead the Lucknow-based team. Before the auction, the two new IPL franchises have the option of selecting three players.
Rahul has been the most successful opener at PBKS, scoring 659, 593, 670, and 626 runs in the last four seasons. He also won the Orange Cap for the IPL 2020 season. While Rahul excelled as a batsman, he struggled as a captain, and PBKS failed to clear the league stage in both of his seasons as captain. PBKS hasn’t competed in a playoff game since 2014.
