Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif (Credits: Twitter)

Former India cricketer, Mohammad Kaif feels that KL Rahul will play the second Test match in Melbourne. Kaif’s comments came after watching the Indian batsmen put up a horror show on the third day of the Adelaide Test.

Australian bowlers, in particular, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ran riot through the Indian line-up as the visitors were bundled out for the score of 36- India’s lowest ever total in Test cricket. To add to the miseries of the team, captain Virat Kohli will not be available for the next three Test matches as he will return home to attend the birth of his child.

Prithvi Shaw, Michael Bevan, India, Australia
Prithvi Shaw. [Photo-Twitter]
While most of the other batters in the top six will keep their places, the axe could fall on Prithvi Shaw, who has been horribly out of form since the IPL. The 21-year-old had a disastrous IPL campaign for the Delhi Capitals. He was dismissed 8 times for single-digit scores in 13 IPL innings, before eventually being dropped ahead of the final against Mumbai Indians. He also recorded a couple of single-figure scores in the practice games against Australia A before being bowled for 0 and 4 in Adelaide.

Rahul has put a lot of effort in his game since being dropped last year: Mohammad Kaif

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KL Rahul (Photo-AFP)

With KL Rahul and Shubman Gill performing impressively in white-ball cricket, it is likely that Shaw could be dropped from the second Test. Mohammad Kaif is all for the inclusion of KL Rahul back in the Test side. He was dropped from the Test eleven last year in the West Indies after his inconsistent form.

Speaking to Sony Sports Network, Mohammad Kaif said, “When you talk about Melbourne, the problems are there. There are a lot of options if they want to make changes. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill are there. Virat Kohli will go back home after this Test match.”

England, India, KL Rahul, Harbhajan Singh
KL Rahul celebrates his century at The Kia. (Photo Credit: Philip Brown/Getty Images)

However, Rahul has been in thunderous form in limited-overs cricket for India and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL- indeed he is now the first-choice keeper-batsman in India’s white-ball team. Mohammad Kaif opined that Rahul also has the form with him and also the experience of playing in Australian conditions. The 40-year-old believes that since Kohli will also leave India could do well with an experienced batsman.

“I feel KL Rahul should play because he has the experience. Since the time KL Rahul has been dropped from the Indian team, he has put in a lot of effort in the last one and a half to two years and there has been an improvement in his game. He has played well in ODIs and T20Is if we talk about this series also. That is why he should definitely be brought into the team,” Mohammad Kaif added.

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