KL Rahul Rides On Lady Luck, Survives Twice In One Delivery Against New Zealand

Elegant batsman KL Rahul has more or less solved the middle-order muddle. And his latest match-winning inning against New Zealand at Eden Park holds testimony to it. Chasing 204 on a batting-friendly track, Rahul smashed a 27-ball 56 in the company of skipper Virat Kohli. Rahul found the ropes on seven occasions out of which three were maximums. 

KL Rahul gets reprives from Kiwi outfit

However, he was let off on not one but two occasions and that too on the same delivery. In the 6th over of India’s innings, Rahul stroked one towards the cover region off the bowling of Hamish Bennett. He was caught in two minds but Kohli was in no mood to go back. The fielder at cover had a shy at the stumps but Rahul survived. The other fielder backing up, too, went for the bullseye but couldn’t hit the stumps. Having offered two lifelines, the Kiwi side struggled to keep a check on the flow of runs. Rahul, on the other hand, made good use of the opportunity and cashed in.

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With contributions from Kohli (45) and Shreyas Iyer (58*), India successfully chased the target with an over to spare. Apart from scoring runs at ease, the 27-year-old is doing a clinical job behind the stumps. Having assigned the glovework to Rahul, India could afford to play both Iyer and Manish Pandey in the XI, further adding depth. 

Post India’s win, Rahul said that he is in a good space and enjoys the challenge. He also reminded everyone of his credentials as a keeper in the Indian Premier League. “I am honestly loving it, in the international stage it might look that I am new to wicket-keeping, but I have done this role in the domestic cricket. I have done it for my IPL franchise, I enjoy staying behind the stumps,” Rahul told reporters after the first T20I.

The visitors have taken a 1-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series. The next T20I will be played on 26 January at the Eden Park. The hosts having failed to defend a good total, will look to put up a better show with the ball in their next outing.