KL Rahul sensationally told to 'get away from family & friends' by Sourav Ganguly amid ugly slump

Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly opened up about batter KL Rahul's recent struggles ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Australia. Sourav Ganguly stated that KL Rahul needs to regain his confidence, adding that he should focus on working hard in the practice sessions.

India will begin their Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against Australia with the first Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday, November 22. The Indian team practiced for three days at the WACA nets before starting a match simulation. They are yet to finalize their combination for the first Test match.

KL Rahul Has to Speak Himself - Sourav Ganguly

In a conversation with Boria Majumdar, Sourav Ganguly said that the lack of confidence is the main reason for KL Rahul's struggles. Ganguly stated that ups and downs are a part of a career, adding that Rahul needs to regain form through working hard.

"Yeah, confidence. He has to speak to himself. He has to speak to himself and say, just put everything behind. Ups and downs are part and parcel of sports. Confidence will go up and down. You have to bring it back by working hard in the nets," Ganguly told RevSportz.

"I know he has gone through a lot. Lucknow Super Giants have released him. I do not know whether they will buy him back in the auction. I am sure he will find a good team and get his worth in the IPL. But these things put pressure on players," he added.

He is Seeing Young Players Play Well - Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly pointed out that younger players are performing well in T20s and getting picked ahead of Rahul. Ganguly advised Rahul to step away from external distractions and focus on rediscovering himself. He emphasized that Rahul needs to believe in his abilities, recalling his century in South Africa.

"In and out of the team, he is seeing young players play well in T20s. You see what they have done in South Africa. He has to change and cannot keep playing the same way and expect to be picked all the time, because somebody else will come and get picked," Ganguly continued.

"So, I think he has got to sit with himself and get away from everything, all his friends and family, team and IPL owners, auctions and self-discover. Look at the mirror and say, I need to play differently. I need to get tough inside and fight this period. He has got a fantastic 100 in South Africa last time round. He can score hundreds in these conditions. But the mind has to believe that, and the fight has to be there."

Rohit Sharma to Miss First Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel were among the first to arrive in Australia as part of India’s preparation for the upcoming series. Both players participated in the second unofficial Test against Australia A at the MCG. Rahul recorded two low scores in the match, where India suffered a loss.

With Rohit Sharma likely to miss the opening Test, KL Rahul is seen as a contender to open the innings. However, Abhimanyu Easwaran is also a strong candidate to step in as an opener if needed.

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