KL Rahul Seemed To Be Encouraged By Virat Kohli To Play A Long Innings: Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has reckoned that stylish batsman KL Rahul may have been encouraged by his captain Virat Kohli to get himself in and play long innings in a bid to regain his form.

Manjrekar’s comments came after KL Rahul notched up his 5th ODI hundred in the second match against England. He got his half-century in 66 balls and for his next 68 runs, he took another 58 balls.

Manjrekar said that KL Rahul has the ability to play even quicker but maybe he would have been encouraged by Kohli to take his time and build a long inning.

“KL Rahul may have been encouraged by Virat Kohli to play a long innings, get himself into form. Because we know KL Rahul has the ability to go even quicker, the first six he hit was after he got his 50,” said Sanjay Manjrekar on ESPNCricinfo.

Meanwhile, former England batsman Ian Bell heaped high praise on KL Rahul, stating that the 28-year-old would have got a huge amount of confidence after scoring a 114-ball 108.

KL Rahul had a forgettable outing in the T20I series where he managed scores of 1,0,0,14 before eventually getting dropped in the series-decider.

Rahul has stormed back in stunning fashion in the ODI series by smashing an unbeaten half-century in the first match and then a hundred in the second. Bell added that after today’s hundred, KL Rahul’s cricket will go on an upward trend again.

“He is a class player, and players do get out of form. T20 can be quite brutal, you have to get on with it, and sometimes there is a very thin line between success and failure. It was a good partnership with Kohli as well. A 50 would have given him a lot of confidence but there is no doubt when you get a 100 after a tough run, it just makes you feel a hell of a lot better. His cricket will go on an upward trend again,” said Ian Bell on ESPNCricinfo.

Rahul’s innings, however, went in vain as England gunned down India’s total of 6/336 in a mere 43.3 overs.

Also Read: It Was My Decision To Take On The Spinners: Ben Stokes