Gambhir bats for Rahul – The Hindu

India batter Okay L Rahul acquired backing from head coach Gautam Gambhir forward of the second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand.
| Picture Credit score: MURALI KUMAR Okay

The format doesn’t matter. Even the crew that he represents doesn’t matter, at instances. However Okay.L. Rahul retains drawing nameless followers’ and former cricketers’ wrath on a regular basis.

At a time when the Rahul versus Sarfaraz Khan conundrum is the spotlight of the build-up to India’s essential second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand, the crew’s head coach stood behind the enigmatic batter like a rock.

“Social media doesn’t matter one bit. You don’t choose gamers on social media or for that matter even what the specialists are saying,” stated Gambhir, when requested about Rahul being criticised from all quarters, particularly on social media.

“What the crew administration thinks and what the management group thinks is essential. In the end each one is judged, worldwide cricket is about being judged.”

Little doubt that after being outshone by Sarfaraz, Rahul will probably be underneath stress to return good. However the truth that a number of crew managements having proven religion in him in numerous roles additionally signifies the super capacity that Rahul possesses with the willow.

Regardless of being plagued with numerous accidents, Rahul’s current Take a look at kind is just not atypical. A complete of 339 runs in 10 innings at 37.67 over the past 12 months isn’t unhealthy to write down a participant off. However the truth that different contenders are knocking on the door means Rahul is working out of time earlier than boarding a aircraft to Australia excessive on confidence.

“I really feel he’s batting rather well. I believe he had an honest knock in Kanpur (68, vs Bangladesh), clearly on a troublesome wicket. He would even be realizing, he desires to attain large runs, he has the potential of scoring large runs that’s the reason he’s being backed by the crew administration,” Gambhir stated.

It as a giveaway in direction of the crew administration will proceed to stick with Rahul over Sarfaraz, no less than for the second Take a look at. Can he repose religion by notching up an enormous rating?