KL Rahul indirectly gives hints that he will join Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022
According to reports, Punjab Kings are likely to release KL Rahul.
KL Rahul is arguably one of the best players in the shortest format of the game. The flamboyant cricketer has represented Team India in 50 games wherein he scored 1560 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 141.4. He scored 2 centuries and 12 fifties in T20Is. The right-handed batsman is often known to score runs at the rate of knots.
Moreover, he has tremendous experience in the cash-rich Indian Premier League. He has played 94 games in the IPL where he scored 3273 runs at an average of 47.4. The Karnataka-born cricketer slammed 2 centuries and 27 fifties in the world’s highly-rated T20 tournament. Besides his batting, he is known for his wicket-keeping trait as well.
In T20Is, he has taken 18 catches, affected 3 run-outs and a stumping. In IPL, he took 50 catches, affected 4 stumpings and 5 run-outs. Several cricket experts and former cricketers have rated KL Rahul as one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. So far, 14 seasons of the IPL have been done and dusted.
Meanwhile, two new teams namely Lucknow and Ahmedabad, have now been added to the IPL. Lucknow and Ahmedabad are yet to name the franchise. Now, rumours have been circulating on social media around the upcoming Mega Auction for the 2022 edition. Netizens have come up with a logical theory that suggests that KL Rahul may be willing to join Mumbai Indians for IPL 2022.
Will KL Rahul join Mumbai Indians in IPL 2022?
KL Rahul hasn’t been relishing the role of Punjab Kings captain. Under his captaincy, the franchise finished sixth in IPL 2020 and IPL 2021 respectively. He has thrived as a batsman but not as a captain. Ness Wadia, Punjab King’s co-owner doesn’t appear to rate KL Rahul highly.
Earlier, he said: “There are many players apart from KL Rahul, firstly. One player does not make up a team, I’ve always said that. Having said that, every player has a value and one thing I will say is we’ve learned to adjust and adapt throughout. Any team that hinges too much on one player, that does prove beyond a point a liability.”
Moreover, KL Rahul follows only 320 accounts. The majority of the accounts are cricketers. Nonetheless, only 2 accounts belong to IPL franchises namely Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. Well, KL Rahul has no link-up with MI so far.
Interestingly, KL Rahul doesn’t follow his former IPL teams. He had already unfollowed RCB and SRH. If he used to follow Mumbai Indians back then, he must have unfollowed it by now. However, he didn’t. This is precisely the reason why fans believe KL Rahul would play for Mumbai Indians in the next season.
Check out the reactions:
KL Rahul following Mumbai Indians in Instagram 😯
He is following only 2 teams (Punjab & Mumbai) https://t.co/pBgBkX4UuZ pic.twitter.com/LNjc5JX3Q1
— S H E B A S (@Shebas_10) October 28, 2021
So #KLRahul wants to go for #MumbaiIndians next #IPL2022 🤔🤔
Hmmmmmmmmmm pic.twitter.com/RKVbzxzEqT— 🐰 (@Noisky97) October 29, 2021