Aakash Chopra Wishes To See KL Rahul Back In The Test Squad
Published - 26 Oct 2020, 03:46 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:36 AM
Aakash Chopra, the former cricketer-turned-commentator, has opined that he believes KL Rahul should be back in the Test squad for the tour of Australia later in the year. Talking on a chatshow for EspnCricinfo with Sanjay Manjrekar and host Raunak Kapoor, he said that KL Rahul has been in a sublime form not just in the IPL, but before that as well for India in limited-overs cricket.
KL Rahul last played a Test for India in August last year in the West Indies and was dropped after a string of disappointing scores in Australia and West Indies. Rahul’s last recorded a three-figure score in September 2018 on the tour of England, where also he averaged 29 in 5 matches. KL Rahul recorded an average of 11 on his last tour to Australia in 2018-19.
I will be tempted to figure out a way to get KL Rahul back: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra feels KL Rahul should be taken as a backup opener for Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal in the Test series against Australia. The former India opener also said that it would be a travesty if Rahul in the kind of form he is in doesn’t find a way in at least the 16 member squad, if not the playing eleven. Chopra talked about his record outside Asia where he has scored 3 of his 5 centuries.
Talking with EspnCricinfo, Aakash Chopra said, “You have Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal as the first-choice openers, and then you have Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul. I will be tempted to figure out a way to get KL Rahul back because of the kind of form he has shown. He has got three overseas Test centuries – in Australia, West Indies and England. The kind of pedigree he has shown in the last 18 months, it will be a travesty if you can’t find a place for him in at least 16 members if not 11. I will have him very close to the Test team.”
When Sanjay Manjrekar said that he wouldn’t be influenced by just IPL performances for selection in Test cricket, Chopra retorted back by saying he is not only looking at the IPL performances. He also feels KL Rahul has been India’s best batsman in limited-overs cricket for the last 12-18 months.
“To be honest, I am not looking at his IPL performances. He has been piling on the runs wherever he has played for India in white-ball cricket. His numbers are quite sensational in the last 12-18 months for India,” he added.
India will tour Australia for 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, and a series of 4 Test matches. The squads for the tour are expected to be announced on Monday(26 October). India won the series 2-1 when they toured down under in 2018-19.
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