Sunil Gavaskar plays down concerns over KL Rahul's form in T20Is: He sacrificed his wicket for team
India Today
India vs South Africa: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar backed KL Rahul to come good at the T20 World Cup, saying the opener was willing to play according to the team's needs in the recently-concluded 3-match series against Australia.
Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar played down concerns over KL Rahul's form in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, saying that the opener was playing in the manner that the team expected him to in the 3-match T20I series against Australia.
KL Rahul's place in the side was questioned after the opening batter struggled to get going on his return from injury in India's Asia Cup campaign. He managed just 132 runs in 5 matches at a strike rate of 122. The star batter looked rusty after having spent a lengthy period of time on the sidelines due to injury and health issues.
However, Rahul showcased glimpses of return to form with a 35-ball 55 in the first T20I against Australia in Mohali. Rahul was brisk at the start of the innings, looking to put the pressure right back on the Australian bowlers in the powerplay and was rewarded for the approach.
However, Rahul failed in the 2nd and 3rd T20I, managing scores of 10 and 1. Rahul's inconsistent run ahead of the T20 World Cup might become a cause for concern but Sunil Gavaskar believes the Karnataka batter will be alright by the time he heads to Australia.
Gavaskar also said Rahul was looking to try and go after the bowlers from the word go in the 2nd and 3rd T20I as well, adding that the opener was willing to give up his wicket for the team's cause.
"Well, he was doing what the team was expecting him to do which was both the times, you saw he got a fifty in the first game but in the second game, where he had to throw the bat from the first ball because it was an 8-overs-a-side game, he sacrificed his wicket for the team," Gavaskar told Star Sports after India wrapped a 2-1 series win on Sunday in Hyderabad.
"Similarly, the asking rate in the 3rd T20I match was more than 9 runs an over, it's never easy, you want to get off to a good start. He sacrificed his wicket over there.
