India’s surprising loss in opposition to New Zealand within the first Take a look at in Bengaluru raised many questions on the group’s technique. The match was lower brief to 4 days as the primary day received washed out resulting from rain. Within the remaining days, the Kiwis outplayed India in all of the departments and claimed a historic eight-wicket win, which additionally turned out to be their first victory on the Indian soil since 1988. After the loss, criticism from the followers and cricket specialists began to hang-out the Indian gamers.
A selected set of criticism was targetted in direction of KL Rahul, who miserably failed to depart a mark within the match. In each the innings, Rahul registered poor scores of 0 and 12 and couldn’t stay as much as the expectations.
As batter Sarfaraz Khan, who got here in as a alternative of an injured Shubman Gill, scored a promising 150, many followers and specialists demanded Rahul to be dropped on the return of Gill within the second Take a look at.
Nonetheless, former India spinner Venkatpathy Raju has backed the 32-year-old batter, stating that the Indian group mustn’t tinker with the XI.
“I do not suppose we must always tinker with the enjoying XI. If I have been the captain, I’d go along with the identical aspect. You want skilled palms in your group. You possibly can’t bench KL Rahul after only one Take a look at match. He’s an skilled batter and may play the subsequent Take a look at. There is no have to panic,” Raju instructed Instances of India.
“India are nonetheless on high of the WTC standings. Rohit is a optimistic captain. He goes in with a optimistic method, and he is aware of that what’s performed is finished, and now it is time to degree the sequence. I am positive he’ll,” he added.
Raju additional acknowledged that preserving the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in opposition to Australia in thoughts, Staff India ought to give one other likelihood to Rahul.
“India ought to take into consideration these 5 Exams in Australia and never panic. Let’s play KL Rahul within the second Take a look at and provides him an opportunity. He’ll bounce again. He has expertise. India simply want to drag up their socks. That is it,” stated Raju.
The second Take a look at between India and New Zealand will kick-start from Thursday in Pune. Rohit Sharma and co will now look to degree the three-match sequence.
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