Does high quality tempo expose a chink in KL Rahul’s armour? Is Shoaib Akhtar proper in saying Rahul is “scared”?
Against Australia and South Africa within the house collection, KL Rahul was out of the gates from the get go. On the belters of Nagpur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati, he took an ultra-aggressive method in opposition to the pacers and scored runs. But in the case of pitches with one thing for the bowlers, be it variable tempo within the UAE and swing and seam on the contemporary drop-in surfaces of Australia, Rohit Sharma’s deputy has struggled and in Shoaib Akhtar’s phrases, “looked scared”.
In his 4 outings in opposition to Pakistan, KL Rahul has managed 35 runs, a strike fee beneath 100 and was dismissed thrice by the pacers.
Three-four years again, Rahul’s recreation was a contact iffy exterior off stump, as he would dangle his bat out like a half-formed thought, fingers betraying him. He was dropped from the crew. He went again, labored on it, and got here again. And began his well-known celebration of ‘shutting out the noise’ together with his fingers in his ears. And what does he discover nowadays? The drawback with the incoming ball.
He can typically find yourself taking part in round his entrance pad. On air, Sunil Gavaskar stated that his first motion of the left foot will get him into an issue. It’s clear by current type that he must get it sorted out once more. He doesn’t transfer ahead or again or keep nonetheless – one of many three decisive parts is required; as a substitute he kind of wobbles a bit, and may get fairly tentative together with his defensive prods.
Here’s a take a look at the current dismissal of KL Rahul in opposition to high quality tempo bowlers:
Netherlands at Sydney (T20 World Cup)
KL Rahul lbw b van Meekeren (9 off 12b)
Paul van Meekeren, the quickest among the many Dutch bowlers, hurried KL Rahul for tempo and the Indian batter was trapped in entrance, making an attempt to go throughout the road.
Pakistan at MCG (T20 World Cup)
KL Rahul b Naseem Sham (4 off 8b)
Naseem Shah bowled a nagging size simply wanting a great size and KL Rahul dragged it onto the stumps. It was bowled at 142 kph. Even earlier than he was out, Rahul was struggling. On the primary ball of India’s innings, he lifeless batted a low full toss, which just about carried to Shaheen Shah Afridi in his follow-through. Next ball, he virtually dragged it to his stumps. Maybe the ghosts of Dubai had been nonetheless haunting him.
Western Australia at Perth (warm-up)
KL Rahul c Morris b Tye (74 off 55b)
Although he managed to attain a 54-ball 74 within the second warm-up match in opposition to Western Australia, he struggled in opposition to the standard assault of Jason Behrendorff, Matthew Kelly, Andrew Tye and Lance Morris.
Australia at Brisbane
KL Rahul c Agar b Maxwell (57 off 33b)
In the warm-up match in opposition to Australia, Rahul scored a 33-ball 57, hitting three sixes, all of them half-trackers. The second Pat Cummins bowled within the Test match channel he was hit on the helmet.
Pakistan at Dubai (Asia Cup)
KL Rahul b Naseem Shah (0 off 1b)
It was a maiden T20I wicket for Naseem Shah. It was bowled at 142kph, a tentative Rahul supplied a nothing shot, dangling his bat exterior off, and unsurprisingly the ball went off the interior edge to fall on the stumps.
New Zealand at Dubai (2021 T20 World Cup)
KL Rahul c Mitchell b Southee 18 (16b)
Trent Boult and Tim Southee had made Rahul’s life depressing throughout his keep on the crease. He ended up throwing away his wicket to Tim Southee.
Pakistan at Dubai (2021 T20 World Cup)
KL Rahul b Shaheen Shah Afridi 3
Shaheen Shah Afridi was spitting hearth on that night time. India had no solutions, and neither did KL Rahul had, which angled into him and bowled him via the gate. He was cramped for room, and to chop some slack to Rahul, it was the mom of an unplayable inswinging supply.
