File image of KL Rahul
Indian opener KL Rahul has been announced as the new skipper for Kings XI Punjab for the impending Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season. Rahul will replace Ravichandran Ashwin for the role, who was traded off to Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2020 auction.
"We are happy to appoint Rahul as our captain for the upcoming season. He has been through a lot in the last year or so and has now come back strongly," KXIP co-owner Ness Wadia told PTI on the day of the IPL auction in Kolkata.
"He has silenced his critics. You will get to see his ability not just as a batsman but also as a captain. He was our unanimous choice," he added.
Rahul was roped in by KXIP for a whopping INR 11 crores ahead of 2018 season. Since joining the franchise, he amassed 659 and 593 runs in 2018 and 2019, respectively while emerging among the highest run-getters in both the seasons. He scored one century and 12 half-centuries across two seasons while scoring at an average well over 50.
