Sunil Gavaskar exposes KL Rahul’s mental block: "He doesn't know how..."

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has lauded KL Rahul for his calm demeanor and maturity during the first Test of the five-match series against England. However, Gavaskar said that the batter is yet to realize ‘how good a player he is’ and added that he is yet to fulfill his potential due to ‘self-doubt’.

India posted a total of 471 in their first innings in Leeds. Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134) smashed centuries. KL Rahul got a start but couldn't convert it into a big score, departing for 42 runs. England scored 465 with contributions from Ollie Pope (106) and Harry Brook (99).

KL Rahul Has Got an Equanimity About Him - Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar called KL Rahul a "total team man," adding that the batter is willing to do whatever the team needs. Gavaskar also said that Rahul's biggest challenge is self-doubt, as he still doesn’t fully realize how talented he truly is.

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“Total team man. He has even been asked to keep wickets. He does that for the team, and that's what you want in the team. You see the way he reacts to the situation," Gavaskar said.

"He's got an equanimity about him, which is so rare because in today's day and age where everybody's got to be doing things to show that they have achieved something, his celebrations are also muted. One thing everybody agrees about KL Rahul is that he doesn't know how good a player he is. I mean, he would agree,” he added.

Could Be a Bit of Self-Doubt in His Mind - Sunil Gavaskar on KL Rahul

Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that KL Rahul hasn’t fully lived up to his potential. He said that Rahul has a wide range of shots, especially his flawless cover drives. Gavaskar expressed hope that Rahul would score 500 to 700 runs, which he believes would be a huge boost for India.

“He's got so much talent. Look at all the shots on the offside, leg-side, the flick, everything. All the shots, but he hasn't lived up to that. Now, that could be a bit of self-doubt in his mind or whatever that sometimes keeps the Bangalore boys from fulfilling their potential,” Gavaskar continued.

“Thrilling to watch off the front foot, off the back foot, then the straight batter drive, which we saw just now and the cover drive. I can rave about that cover drive because there's perfection in that. I hope that he comes good in this series and scores over 500, maybe 700 runs. That would be fantastic from India,” he further added.

Rahul Smashes Half-Century in India’s Second Innings of Leeds Test

KL Rahul looked solid in India's second innings, finishing unbeaten on 47 as the team reached 90/2 at the end of Day 3. He resumed his innings on Day 4 alongside skipper Shubman Gill, who had scored a century in the first innings but was dismissed early in the morning session.

With Gill back in the pavilion, Rahul and Rishabh Pant became key to India's hopes of setting a strong target. Rahul continued to impress with his timing and shot selection, especially through the covers. Pant, who struck 134 in the first innings, joined him at the crease.

At the time of writing, India were 114/3 with a lead of 120. Rahul and Pant will need to anchor the innings and build a competitive total for England to chase in the final innings.

Also read: Jasprit Bumrah's injury flagged off before Day 4 of IND vs ENG Leeds Test