IPL 2021: KL Rahul's PBKS captaincy integral in defining his future in the Indian team

Safe to say, the captaincy brings the best out of KL Rahul in the IPL. The team may have finished sixth when he was made captain of the Punjab Kings last season, but the Karnataka batsman had a stellar run with the bat. He ended IPL 2020 by registering 670 runs at a brilliant average of 55.83.

After a hundred against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in his second game as captain, he followed it up with five fifties. KL Rahul has firmly cemented the fact that he is undoubtedly the man to lead by example.

However, the million-dollar question remains: "Can KL Rahul be the one to help PBKS clinch that elusive silverware in the IPL?"

Like last year, the team has made a sensational start to their IPL 2021 campaign. Alongside the RCB, they remain the only side who are yet to be beaten in the tournament.

The skipper himself carried his fine form from the recently concluded ODI series against England with a stroke-filled 91 in Punjab's opening match against RR. Chris Gayle and Deepak Hooda played a couple of pacey knocks to compliment Rahul's innings. It saw the team register a mammoth total of 221 runs while batting first.

Sanju Samson put up a brilliant effort for RR while chasing 222 but the Royals fell short by 4 runs. Samson played a blinder but his efforts were in vain as Punjab collected the all-important 2 points from the game.

KL Rahul, the captain VS KL Rahul, the batsman

Rahul will be happy with the win but the thought of KL being the side's best hope of winning the trophy just raises a few tantalizing questions, the first one being experience.

After leading the side for one season, has he learned to fix the chinks heading into the new season? How will PBKS plan their title chase? What would the team do if it suffered a string of defeats? How does he plan to handle internal conflicts?

These are all serious questions that Rahul will have to tackle and learn on the job.

The very first question is what happens if it comes down to KL Rahul, the batsman vs KL Rahul, the captain. Is he that player who can strike the perfect balance between shepherding a team and being consistent with his own performances at the same time? If not, which one should he prioritize?

Another important aspect for Rahul to tackle would be his man-management. In a team filled with superstars, how will he deal with internal conflicts?

Essentially, the captaincy for Rahul is more than just winning the trophy. His journey with Punjab as skipper will also define his future with the national side. With Virat and Rohit already well into their 30s, it shouldn't come as a surprise if he leads India at some point in the future.

Rahul is a far cry from being the perfect skipper right now even if PBKS wins the IPL. The tactical genius of Michael Clarke, the astute cricketing brain of MS Dhoni, and the sheer boldness of Sourav Ganguly are traits that he must look to develop over the course of the next few seasons of his career. However, this is definitely the moment for Rahul to take the next step and groom himself as a leader.

KL Rahul is PBKS's skipper and their star-man for the future

KL Rahul's captaincy in the IPL will also define his future with the national side

Despite finishing sixth, he was given another run as skipper by Punjab. It just shows the faith PBKS has in him to deliver. He's been a vital cog in their plans and they need him both as a batsman and captain this season.

At 28, Rahul has the luxury of learning and experimenting. His skipper in the Indian team, Virat Kohli, was asked to lead the RCB in 2013. Kohli was 25 at the time and it was a great learning experience for him. Rahul may have begun a few years later, but he still has enough time to learn and show that he can be the decisive leader PBKS want him to be.

KL Rahul's biggest litmus test at the moment will be to lead the franchise to their maiden IPL trophy. It might open doors for him to take over the captaincy from Kohli in the future. Indian cricket fans will be hoping he succeeds for the sake of the future of the national team. Only time will tell if he can.