KL Rahul opines on role as Punjab's skipper; talks about his Anil Kumble-Karnataka connect

Punjab skipper KL Rahul once again showed the world why he was the man-for-all-seasons as he single-handedly guided his side to a mammoth 206-run total on Thursday. The Bengaluru lad smashed an unbeaten 132 runs off just 69 deliveries, unleashing a vicious attack on Bangalore's bowlers with his fearsome strikes and strokeplay and smashed the ball all around the park. KL Rahul's whirlwind knock ensured a 97-run win for Punjab, taking his team to the top of the tournament table with a net run-rate of +2.425. 

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'Can't prepare to be a captain' 

Embracing his new role as a skipper, KL Rahul opined that one cannot be prepared for the role of the skipper and that it had to be learnt on the go. Speaking to , KL Rahul revealed that he was trying to create an environment in the dressing room or off-the-field for the boys to play and enjoy the game with complete freedom and not have any pressure on their shoulder. Further, KL Rahul also pointed out that he had played top-level cricket for over five years now while also highlighting that he had picked up a lot from the captains he had played under previously and was looking forward to using that experience for the benefit of his side.

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KL Rahul explains his Kumble-Karnataka connect

Talking about having legendary spinner Anil Kumble as the side's coach, KL Rahul said that the former understood exactly what the team & the players go through during the period of the tournament. The Punjab captain said that Anil Kumble's experience as a captain of a franchise helped the team and himself as he had the coach to fall back on to bounce some ideas. KL Rahul said that it mage a huge difference for youngsters to have a veteran like Anil Kumble around and that the Punjab coach had supported players from Karnataka, while also revealing that he received immense support from 'Jumbo' as both hailed from the same city. 

“Furthermore, we come from the same city and he has watched me grow, it's a huge help. He has been someone who has supported me and supported all the players from Karnataka. Just to have him around makes a huge difference for youngsters and for the guys who have been playing for a while because there is so much to learn from him", KL Rahul said on the InsideSport’s “Amstrad Face 2 Face Cricket Series. 

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Punjab defeat Bangalore by 97 runs

Bagging their first two points of the season, Punjab defeated Bangalore by a massive margin of 100 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Batting first, KL Rahul led his team to a formidable total of 206 off 20 overs. After a stunning batting display, Punjab put up a wonderful show with the ball as they scalped quick wickets in the first three overs giving Bangalore no room to score. 

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