IND vs ZIM: "I Can't Go Out There And Be Someone Else, Won't Be Fair To Myself Or Team" - KL Rahul
India’s skipper for the Zimbabwe series, KL Rahul, said that he is not looking to change his captaincy style based on the former skipper, MS Dhoni, and insisted he will be himself and let the others do the same.
On the eve of the first ODI against Zimbabwe, Rahul said that Dhoni’s record cannot be compared to others and that it’s in a league of its own.
“I can’t go out there and be someone else. Then I won’t be fair to myself, to the team, or to the game. I try and be myself and let the other players be themselves as they want.”
“Jo naam aapne lie (the names that you’ve taken) I can’t even compare myself with these guys (MSD), their numbers and achievement are far greater in terms of what they have done for the country, and I don’t think any name could be taken in the same breath,” he told in the pre-match press conference.
“… And this is my second series as captain, and obviously, I have played under him and learned a lot from him as a player. As you have been playing for so many years, you will pick some good qualities from these guys,” he added.
KL Rahul speaks about the challenges he’ll face as a leader
The Indian team will have a few fresh faces and managing them will be a tough task, as per Rahul. Additionally, rotating players to avoid injuries is also a headache for the skipper.
“It will be (challenging) for any leader as to how good you are in managing your players and bringing the best out of them.
“Everybody is in a different place in their careers, and few of us have come back from injuries, few have played a lot of cricket and how do you manage their bodies and how do you manage mindset and nervousness of guys who are coming after a long break, and those are challenges as a leader,” Rahul mentioned.
