Australia vs India 2018: KL Rahul Should be Dropped if he Fails in Second Innings - Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes KL Rahul should be dropped if he fails in the second innings of the ongoing first Test match. Rahul could score only two runs in the first innings to continue his dismal performance. Thus, Rahul’s place in the Indian team is in jeopardy as he is not getting the runs under his belt.

Furthermore, Rahul was troubled by the incoming delivery on the England tour. He failed in the first nine innings against England. However, he scored a blistering knock of 149 runs in the fifth Test match at Oval. However, since then, Rahul’s form is a cause of concern for the Indian team.

Rahul is struggling with his form.

“KL Rahul should be dropped from playing XI if he fails to score in second innings. Because he has no more self-confidence left in him. There was a time when he was a very confident player, but now he doesn’t look so. There is a tentativeness, a certainty in him about the ball outside the off stump, about his shots, he plays it across the line as well. He has not bothered to correct the faults in his techniques,” Sunil Gavaskar told Aaj Tak.

Thus, KL Rahul needs to pull up his socks in the second innings. Rahul will need to come up with a solid performance in the second dig to save his place in the Indian side.

“When you shuffle from leg stump to leg stump, you know the placement of the stump, but when a tall batsman like him shuffles towards off stump off his backfoot then the front foot will go a lot outside the off stump and then you play the shot outside the off stump you are liable to get out at slip. He had made this mistake in England and he making the same mistake now as well and only he knows why is he doing it”.

Meanwhile, KL Rahul might get another chance even if he fails in the second innings. Prithvi Shaw is expected to be fit for the third Test match. However, India hasn’t named any replacement for Shaw.