Lucknow Super Giants’ skipper KL Rahul has been ruled out for the remainder of the IPL as per reports. Rahul pulled his hamstring while chasing a ball during LSG’s game against RCB. Although he came out to bat at the end he couldn’t open his account even after facing three deliveries.All-rounder Krunal Pandya will lead LSG during his absence.

Not only as a skipper, but LSG will also miss his services as an opener. Rahul (274) is currently the second-highest scorer for LSG this season. His participation in the WTC final will also be under question, as the prestigious final will start shortly after the IPL.

KL Rahul unlikely to be part of the remainder of IPL 2023. (Reported by PTI).

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 3, 2023

In this article, we will have a glimpse at 3 other opening pair options in absence of KL Rahul.

1) Quinton de Kock – Kyle Mayers :

De Kock had a memorable outing for LSG last year. The southpaw amassed over 500 runs for LSG in 2022 which included a blistering hundred. Unfortunately for De Kock, he joined the LSG camp late this year due to national duty.

In his absence, Kyle Mayers performed brilliantly, and De Kock, in spite of his past contributions for the franchise, had to warm the bench during the first phase of the IPL. Now that KL Rahul is sidelined with an injury, LSG can give QDK another run as opener, as the de Kock-Mayers duo can absolutely tear apart any bowling line-up in their heyday. De Kock can also keep wickets that will give him an edge over his competitors.

2) Ayush Badoni – Deepak Hooda :

The LSG management and mentor, Gautam Gambhir, have immense faith in Ayush Badoni’s talent. That is exactly why they promoted him during their last match against RCB. Though he failed to do justice to his talent, it will be unfair to judge him based on one match.

Using Badoni as the opener will give LSG management the luxury of continuing with the same set of overseas players. It will also be a huge opportunity for Ayush to unlock his full potential in a prestigious league like the IPL. Just like Badoni, Deepak Hooda has also been promoted many times in the batting order in the past. LSG can look forward to trying a new opening pair that would allow them to stabilize the ship for the Giants.

3) Manan Vohra – Kyle Mayers :

The 29-year-old right-handed batsman, Manan Vohra has previously opened for Punjab in the IPL. If LSG management doesn’t want to change the current set of overseas players and is also looking for experience at the top, then Manan Vohra could be an ideal option.

Kyle Mayers and Manan Vohra will be a perfect left and right-handed opening pair that has always been a thorn in the flesh of the bowlers.