IND vs BAN: "The Next Time We Play, We Will Go After Him" - KL Rahul Fires Massive Warning To Dunith Wellalage

Indian wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul lauded young Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage for his maiden five-wicket haul in the Asia Cup 2023. KL Rahul emphasized that the Indian team would adopt a more aggressive approach against Dunith Wellalage in their future matches.

Dunith Wellalage almost single-handedly guided his team to victory in the Super Four clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday, September 12. The left-arm spinner picked up 5 wickets for 40 runs. He also contributed with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 42 runs.

He Looked The Most Dangerous Bowler – KL Rahul

Speaking after India’s 41-run victory against Sri Lanka, KL Rahul said that Dunith Wellalage was the most threatening bowler in the Sri Lankan attack until he was at the crease.

“He was spot on He got five wickets He did the job for his team. He looked the most dangerous bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack till I was playing. What more can I say? He got five top-order batsmen out. It was a good day for him, he did well with the bat too. The next time we play, we will go after him,” Rahul told reporters.

Wellalage picked up the wickets of India’s top batters, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya. He added a crucial 63-run partnership for the seventh wicket while chasing a target of 214 runs. His efforts went in vain, as they were bowled out for 172 runs.

Tried To Figure Out What Are The Shots – KL Rahul

The 31-year-old revealed that he adapted his shot selection based on the bowler and conditions. He emphasized the importance of assessing the situation and conditions during a match to make the right shot choices.

“After playing the first few balls I tried to figure out what are the shots that I can play here. You can into your shell, defend and try and defuse the threat but I thought I would try and play my shots but be careful about what shots to choose against which bowler. That is sort of an on-the-go decision you make.”

“I’m glad the shot selections I made till the point I got worked well. Maybe next time it might be a bit different. Yesterday was different. We were able to play more shots, but today was different. As a batter, you try and assess the situation and conditions and decide what shots you can play,” he concluded.

The wicketkeeper-batter made his comeback in an international match against Pakistan after a prolonged injury layoff. He was included in the playing XI after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to back spasms. He formed a match-defining partnership with Virat Kohli, scoring an unbeaten century.

Also read: IND vs BAN: “It Did Not Look Like He Was Playing On The Same Pitch” – Harbhajan Singh Lauds KL Rahul’s Knock Against Sri Lanka