Kapil Dev Slammed India’s Top-3: The Indian cricket team is all set to return to action in the shortest format of the game when the Rahul Dravid-coached side will take on South Africa in the upcoming 5-match T20I series. The side will be without a number of star players including the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Shami, among others, as they have been rested for the series.
In the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul will be seen leading the Men in Blue in the series, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as his deputy.
Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had a forgettable time in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League. While Rohit failed to score a single half-century in the season, Virat Kohli too failed to give the best of his abilities and scored at a poor average of 22.73 in IPL 2022. Talking about KL Rahul, he turned out to be the second-highest run-getter, scoring 616 runs in 15 innings.
Kapil Dev On The Poor Performances Of India’s Top-3
Meanwhile, former Indian captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has now opened up about the performances of India’s star batters – Rohit, Kohli, and Rahul. Speaking on the YouTube channel Uncut, Kapil Dev said:
“They have a big reputation and there’s huge pressure on them, which shouldn’t be the case. You have to play fearless cricket. All of these are players who can hit at a strike rate of 150-160. Whenever we need them to score runs, they all get out. When it is time to take off (in the innings), they are out. And that adds to pressure. Either you play an anchor or you play striker,”
Kapil Dev On KL Rahul’s Inconsistent Performances
Furthermore, Kapil Dev also talked about KL Rahul and said that the team needs to be clarified on his role. He also said that the inconsistent performances from star batters might force the BCCI to take bold steps. He said:
“When you talk about KL Rahul, if the team tells him to play the entire 20 overs and you come back with a score of, say 60 not out, you’re not doing justice to your team,” said Kapil.
He added: “I think the approach needs to change. And if it doesn’t, you have to change the players. A big player is expected to make a big impact. Having a big reputation is not enough, you also have to deliver great performances.”
