Justin Langer Blames T20 World Cup 2024 Selections for LSG’s Elimination from Playoffs Race

LSG’s campaign ended with an 18-run win over MI on Friday, but they were not able to qualify for the playoffs. Head coach Justin Langer believes the team’s performance dipped after the T20 World Cup 2024 squads were announced.

While Langer did not name names, it is likely he was referring to KL Rahul and Ravi Bishnoi, who were both snubbed from the Indian squad. Rahul, in particular, struggled to maintain his form after the selection.

“Things seemed to change a bit after the World Cup selection,” Langer said at a press conference.

“We had a couple of poor games and it really hurt us. We played well in April, but we fell away. It’s disappointing. We had a very good team, but injuries to our bowlers made a big difference.”

Langer defended Rahul’s batting method, saying that every player has their own approach.

“One area KL Rahul would like to improve is that he got some really good 30s and 40s, and then found someone on the boundary,” Langer said.

“He’s a very good player, and I understand the criticism, but everyone plays differently. If you play at a strike-rate of 160s throughout, that’s very high-risk cricket. The game is evolving, and I think he will evolve as a player as well.”

Lucknow Super Giants finished in 6th place in the league table and could drop to 7th if RCB wins their final match today.