The walls on KL Rahul’s position in the Test team are getting closer with each passing failure. And now, the opener might just get one more match – the second Test against Australia in Delhi – to retain his position in the side and to extend his Test career.
KLR, the designated Test vice-captain, was picked over the in-form Shubman Gill in the Nagpur Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He scored only 20 runs in India’s total of 400.
The fact that India won the Test match by a big margin – an innings and 132 runs means that the management won’t mind persisting with the opener for one more game.
BCCI official confirms KL Rahul will play in Delhi
In a report in the website InsideSport, a BCCI official has confirmed that Rahul has the faith of skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, and the management has decided that the Indian vice-captain will feature in the second Test against Australia, in Delhi, starting Friday.
That, however, would be the last opportunity for KLR, who has not scored more than 25 in his last 8 Test innings. If he fails in Delhi, the official said, the management will be primed to bring Shubman Gill in the XI, the opener who hit his maiden Test ton in Bangladesh and has been in surreal form in white-ball cricket – while in the same Test series in Bangladesh, Rahul managed 57 runs in 4 innings.
“Rahul has the captain and coach’s trust. Everyone goes through bad run. Virat had an extended poor run of form. But he bounced back. We just need to be patient with Rahul too. He is a classy player and he will surely bounce back. Yes, he can be dropped as there is nothing called vice-captain’s immunity. But it’s the team management’s call. Any discussion will be after Delhi Test,” A senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Sunil Gavaskar backs KL Rahul
Former India skipper and opener Sunil Gavaskar also feels that Rahul deserves one more Test match, for the opener has been in good form in 2021, scoring centuries in England and South Africa.
“I feel the way he has batted in the last 1-2 years, he performed well. I feel he should be given one more chance. I’m sure he will be backed for the Test match in Delhi. After that you can give it a thought because you have an in-form batter ready to replace him, Shubman Gill,” Gavaskar told India Today.
