KL Rahul Joins Unwanted Club as Sunil Gavaskar Gives Warm Welcome from Com Box

As an opening batsman, KL Rahul has joined an unwanted record club with a golden duck on Thursday afternoon after the respite from rain gods which further saw the right-handed batsman was caught on a peach of a delivery by wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella on the bowling of Suranga Lakmal.

Former Indian skipper, who was commentating on the opening day of the first Test at the iconic Eden Gardens, was quick to react while welcoming Rahul, who had no answer on a seam-friendly wicket.

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The 68-year-old Mumbai-based cricketer-turned-commentator Gavaskar further recalled his incident when he was at the receiving end way back in 1983 against Windies at the same venue.

“In 1983 against the West Indies, here at the Eden Gardens, [I was] caught by Dujon, bowled by Marshall,” the veteran batsmen Gavaskar remarked in a commentary box.

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Rahul, who was amazed by Lakmal’s delivery which moved viciously away from the batsman – to take the thick edge of the bat before Dickwella completed a regulation catch to witness Lions players delighted following the early breakthrough.

“Mine was down the leg side, trying to fend off a bouncer. Ended up kissing the glove and went to Dujon,” Gavaskar added.

With three-match Test series kicked off on November 16, which further witnessed a delayed start as the action didn’t last long which saw bad light stopped the first day’s play when hosts India was reeling at 17 for three.

The Islanders senior fast bowler, Suranga Lakmal was straightaway in action when he dismissed Rahul on the very first ball of the series opener after the first session witnessed rain made things worse for the groundsmen.

The 25-year-old Bangalore-based batsman Rahul was the third batsman to be dismissed at Eden Gardens for a golden duck.

The list includes Gavaskar and Sudhir Naik, who was dismissed by Andy Roberts in 1974, as Malcolm Marshall undid the former in 1983 and Rahul became the latest casualty after 42 years in Kolkata.

“All I can say to KL Rahul is bad luck, but welcome to the club,” Gavaskar reiterated.

Interestingly, the other three batsmen were Wasim Jaffer followed by Shiv Sunder Das and Woorkeri Raman, who was sent back to the pavilion on the first-ball duck of a Test match at distinct venues.

With hosts relying solely on the best-fit for the longer version of the game in the form of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, to put decent runs on the board, as both have recently participated in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2017-18 which saw former smashing a double hundred.