IPL 2021: "Seems very obvious to me" - Sanjay Manjrekar wants KL Rahul to move down to PBKS middle order

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar said that a "very obvious" solution to the Punjab Kings' middle order issues is for their captain KL Rahul to move down the lineup.

Manjrekar said Rahul is a "champion player" and can play anywhere in the batting lineup, so he should move down the order to take pressure of players like Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran, who are struggling at the moment.

Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have often given Punjab Kings a strong start with the bat, only for their middle order to crumble once the two openers were back in the dugout, causing them to lose two of their three matches since IPL 2021 resumed last month.

"The problem with Punjab is that a platform gets set at the top and then there’s pressure in the middle. And you have guys who are panicking a little at the moment. Hooda is one of those and Pooran is the other. So the problem is right there," Manjrekar said to ESPNcricinfo.

Manjrekar said that the onus is on players in form to "make lives easier" for players struggling for the team.

"So I just wish the guys who are in form, the guys who are established players can go down and make lives easier for these guys who are really struggling. It’s something that seems very obvious to me, but it’s not happening. It’s not right, then, for the franchise to think the guys at the top are getting runs, the problem is down there," Manjrekar said.

Sanjay Manjrekar wants KL Rahul to draw inspiration from Imran Khan

Sanjay Manjrekar used the example of Imran Khan from the 1992 World Cup where the then Pakistan skipper moved himself up to no.3 in the batting order to take the pressure off Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was struggling at the position. The move worked wonders as Inzamam ended up playing some crucial knocks to help Pakistan lift the trophy.

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"If you remember, way back in 1992, when Pakistan won the World Cup, Inzamam-ul-Haq was struggling for runs batting at no.3. And the captain said, you know what, I am going to keep my trust in this guy and bat him down the order and he batted at no.3, Imran himself, and Inzamam played a couple of great innings to win the World Cup for Pakistan," Manjrekar said.

He went on to add that he would not expect this from someone who is a specialist opener, but Rahul is someone who has batted in different positions and performed.

"So, that is my expectation from champion cricketers, who have the skills. I am not going to ask someone who can only bat at the top of the order, but we know Rahul can bat down the order," Manjrekar said.

To prove his point, Manjrekar pointed out that Rahul scored his first T20 international century batting at no.4.