KL Rahul only scored 57 runs in 2 Tests against Bangladesh© AFP
Considered one of the most technically sound batters in the world, KL Rahul hasn’t had things going his way for a long time. Leading the Indian team in the 2-match Test series against Bangladesh, Rahul barely got ticking with the bat, scoring 57 runs in 4 innings at an average of 14.25. Rahul’s performances in the T20 World Cup 202 had earned him plenty of flak and the following assignments haven’t helped him much either. Dinesh Karthik, veteran India wicket-keeper batter, also feels Rahul is running out of time to prove himself.
As the 2nd Test against Bangladesh concluded with India winning a nervy encounter, wrapping up the series 2-0, questions were raised over Rahul’s ability to not just bat at the top of the batting order but also lead the Indian team. Speaking of the Karnataka batter’s form with the bat, Karthik said that although he would give him a couple of matches, things need to change quickly, or else someone like Shubman Gill could be taking his place.
“I would give KL those couple of Test matches, but if things don’t go KL Rahul’s way… The one thing that does go against him is the fact that he has played over 40 Tests and his average is just mid-30s. That is not acceptable for an opener. That is one of the lowest among Indian players for sure, who have played 35 Test matches.
“That is something that he needs to definitely work on. That will be on his mind. If he wants to cement his place in the Test team, he needs to get a couple of hundreds against Australia. Otherwise, you can definitely see a change, with Shubman Gill doing so well,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
With Rohit Sharma expected to be back in the Indian team soon, there could be a massive dilemma over the choice of opening pair. While Rohit would certainly take one opening spot, the team management must take the tough call while deciding between Shubman and Rahul.
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