IND Vs AFG: Aakash Chopra Slams Trolls Who Targeted KL Rahul
Aakash Chopra has heaped praise on KL Rahul for silencing his critics with a stellar performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 clash between India and Australia. In a high-stakes match at Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday, October 8, the Aussies set a target of 200 runs for the Men in Blue which might not seem challenging enough, but the Aussies made it challenging with their stellar bowling performance in the powerplay.
After losing three wickets with just two runs on the board, India was struggling. KL Rahul responded with a brilliant unbeaten knock of 97 runs off 115 deliveries, guiding Rohit Sharma’s team to a comfortable six-wicket victory with 52 balls to spare. He stitched a 165-run partnership with Virat Kohli who scored 85 off 116 balls.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that KL Rahul has often faced unwarranted criticism in the past. He remarked, “He has been the recipient of a lot of criticism. I feel he has been trolled unnecessarily on social media. Sometimes it is extremely toxic criticism. Not that he is my relative but the fact is that he scores a lot of runs.”
The former Indian opener went on to emphasize Rahul’s undeniable class as a batsman. Aakash Chopra explained, “He is an extremely versatile player. Shoaib (Akhtar) said that he is a classy player and Irfan (Pathan) also said the same thing. So whether you are from this country, the neighbours or anywhere else, if you understand cricket, when you see KL Rahul playing, his class is evident. He is a classy player.”
Aakash Chopra Praised KL Rahul’s Comeback
Aakash Chopra commended KL Rahul for his consistent performance since his return from a thigh injury and for delivering under challenging conditions in Chennai. He noted, “He has been unstoppable since he came back from injury. His average this year is about 73. He is a versatile player because he opens and wants to open, but since he doesn’t get to open, he plays at No. 5. He batted after keeping wickets for 50 overs in Chennai. You have only three types of weather there – hot, hotter, hottest.”
While acknowledging Rahul’s unfortunate miss of a century, the former cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by stating that the wicketkeeper-batsman rightfully deserved the Player of the Match award. He stated, “He was absolutely outstanding and had Hardik Pandya not hit that six, he would have even scored his century. The assurance with which KL Rahul plays, he is not troubled by pace or spin, he is absolutely brilliant. He was worthy of the Player of the Match award.”
Rahul himself mentioned at the post-match presentation that he had aimed to score a four and a six to reach his century when India needed just five runs to win. However, his well-timed shot cleared the boundary for a six, denying him the opportunity to achieve a century. We all remember MS Dhoni when he said that the team would not celebrate after defeating Australia in the 2008 CB series, well KL Rahul took it even further by being depressed after beating Australia.
India will now face Afghanistan on 11th October at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi. KL Rahul will look forward to scoring his century as well as winning the match, one of which he missed against Australia. With his current form, he can be the highest run-scorer in this World Cup.
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Aakash Chopra ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 ICC ODI World Cup 2023 ICC World Cup 2023 India National Cricket Team KL Rahul
