Despite being considered India’s first-choice opener, KL Rahul is embracing judicial scrutiny of his batting performances in the lead-up to the upcoming T20 World Cup. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has come out in support of the player after his performance against Australia in the recently concluded T20I series.
Rahul stamped his authority in the series opener between India and Australia with a quick-fire half-century. He silenced his detractors by smashing 55 off 35 balls in the first T20I against Aaron Finch’s side. However, Rahul finished the T20I series with only 66 runs to his name.
“Well, he was doing what the team was expecting him to do which was both the times, you saw he got a fifty in the first game but in the second game, where he had to throw the bat from the first ball because it was an 8-overs-a-side game, he sacrificed his wicket for the team,”
Gavaskar told Star Sports.
Rahul fell for 10 off 6 balls in the rain-shortened match at Nagpur. The star opener had a forgettable outing in the series decider, being dismissed for 1 off 4 balls.
“Similarly, the asking rate in the 3rd T20I match was more than 9 runs an over, it’s never easy, you want to get off to a good start. He sacrificed his wicket over there,”
Gavaskar explained.
While Rahul averaged only 22 in the three T20Is, India’s third opener and ex-skipper Virat Kohli scored 76 runs against Australia. Kohli’s match-winning knock in the third T20I helped India win the series 2-1 on Sunday. Rahul, who is the first-choice opener for skipper Rohit Sharma, will be hoping to make amends with the willow in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.
“Again, like Kohli, when Rahul is playing proper cricketing shots, then he is unstoppable. But when these two players are trying to swing across the line, that is not their strength.
They can play across the line when they come to the front foot and flick it that away but trying to play that cross-batter shot, they get into trouble. If they try to avoid that, they will keep scoring runs consistently,”
Gavaskar added.
