Asia Cup 2023: KL Rahul’s ought to proceed to bat with confidence he showcased vs Pakistan, says Sunil Gavaskar

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar heaped reward on KL Rahul, saying the wicketkeeper-batter showcased confidence along with his method on the sphere in Asia Cup 2023. Gavaskar mentioned Rahul not solely proved he’s 100% match within the lead-up to the ODI World Cup however given the staff administration confidence concerning the center order.

KL Rahul missed the group levels of Asia Cup 2023 as a result of a niggle he sustained throughout his rehabilitation after a protracted harm layoff on the NCA in Bengaluru. The choice committee and the staff administration backed KL Rahul by naming him within the Asia Cup and World Cup squads regardless of his harm issues.

Asia Cup 2023 remaining: Scorecard | Highlights

Rahul bought a chance within the XI within the Super 4s match in opposition to Pakistan after Shreyas Iyer was dominated out minutes earlier than the toss as a result of again spasm. Rahul made the a lot of the alternative, hitting a match-winning hundred in a report 233-run partnership with Virat Kohli for the third wicket.

Rahul seemed fluent in opposition to the Pakistan assault as he stored the scoreboard busy, hitting 12 boundaries and a pair of sixes. Rahul completed with 169 runs in 4 matches, chipping in with an important 39 in opposition to Sri Lanka in a low-scoring affair within the Super 4s match.

Questions had been requested about Rahul’s place within the World Cup facet forward of the Asia Cup however the wicketkeeper-batter appears to have proved his naysayers fallacious, in line with Gavaskar.

“Very, very good to see him fit. We all knew what his quality is. He has proven it over such a long time. The only question mark would have been about his fitness and in that century knock against Pakistan, he showed his fitness because it was not just a question of playing a long innings, but also running between the wickets. And who are you running with? Probably the fastest runner in the game between 22 yards, Virat Kohli. He did that so well. And later on came and kept wickets for a major part. That 100 percent proves his fitness,” Gavaskar mentioned after India beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets within the remaining

Rahul stored wickets for India all through the Super 4s levels and within the remaining as properly.

‘ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL’

Gavaskar went on so as to add that Rahul ought to proceed enjoying with the perspective that he displayed within the recreation in opposition to Pakistan within the upcoming days speaking up the middle-order of Rohit Sharma-led facet.

Gavaskar highlighted that Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya have given confidence to the staff administration with their knocks in opposition to Pakistan within the Group stage of Asia Cup 2023. Ishan and Hardik helped India get better from 64 for 4 and submit 265 on the board.

“The most important thing was the self-belief he showed in that particular century. Often, I have always said… I have said about him way back in 2016 or 17 that he is going to be the next big thing in Indian cricket. If he hasn’t, he himself has to be blamed because I don’t think he actually realises how good a player he is.

“Sometimes, when he’s batting, when is on the sphere, he gives the look that he’s not very assured about himself. On the sphere, you need that confidence to return via. You noticed that confidence in that Pakistan innings. He bought to play like that each time. He does generally play like that within the IPL. But now to see him bat the way in which that he did was completely great.

“He now gives so much bulk to the middle-order. He, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya are absolutely unbelievable. This is turning out be a very, very good Indian team,” Gavaskar mentioned.

India will subsequent play a 3-match ODI sequence in opposition to Australia at dwelling from September 22 to 27 earlier than starting their World Cup marketing campaign.

Published On:

Sep 17, 2023