IND vs AUS: "KL Rahul Proved His Fitness In The Match Against Pakistan": Sunil Gavaskar On Batter's Good Run In Asia Cup

KL Rahul after missing the league stage of Asia Cup 2023 made a roaring comeback to international cricket. He played all the matches starting from the Super 4 game against Pakistan till the final.

In the process, he proved his fitness as well. Sunil Gavaskar while speaking to India Today spoke about Rahul’s fitness and how he showcased it throughout the tournament.

The selectors included KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer despite injury concerns in the Asia Cup and World Cup squads. Rahul missed the first two games due to a niggle. He worked on his fitness at the NCA and made a comeback in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.

He then made a comeback in the Super 4 game against Pakistan while Iyer continued to be on the sidelines. He scored a hundred on his comeback and proved his match fitness in the way he first batted and then kept for the whole of 50 overs. Gavaskar said that Rahul proved his fitness in the Pakistan game.

“Very, very good to see him fit. We all knew what his quality is. He has proven it over such a long time. The only question mark would have been about his fitness and in that century knock against Pakistan, he showed his fitness because it was not just a question of playing a long innings, but also running between the wickets. And who are you running with? Probably the fastest runner in the game between 22 yards, Virat Kohli. He did that so well. And later on came and kept wickets for a major part. That 100 percent proves his fitness,” Gavaskar said after India’s Asia Cup final win against Sri Lanka.

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KL Rahul Provides So Much Bulk To The Middle-Order: Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar further said that Rahul should play with the same attitude as he played in this Asia Cup in the upcoming World Cup as well. Having proved his fitness, he will be a key figure at number five in the Indian batting lineup.

“The most important thing was the self-belief he showed in that particular century. Often, I have always said… I have said about him way back in 2016 or 17 that he is going to be the next big thing in Indian cricket. If he hasn’t, he himself has to be blamed because I don’t think he actually realises how good a player he is”

“Sometimes, when he is batting, when is on the field, he gives the impression that he is not very confident about himself. On the field, you want that confidence to come through. You saw that confidence in that Pakistan innings. He got to play like that every time. He does sometimes play like that in the IPL. But now to see him bat the way that he did was absolutely wonderful”.

“He now gives so much bulk to the middle-order. He, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya are absolutely unbelievable. This is turning out be a very, very good Indian team,” Gavaskar concluded saying.

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