Indian wicketkeeper-batter backs KL Rahul despite his poor performance in Bangladesh Test

KL Rahul’s poor form with the bat continues as he departs after scoring just two runs in the second innings of the second and final test of the series at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka. India is chasing a target of 145 runs in order to clean-sweep the series 2-0.

With India beginning a busy 2023 with back-to-back limited-overs series at home against Sri Lanka and New Zealand before welcoming Australia for a four-Test series later, the recent setback has raised serious doubts about Rahul’s future.

The Indian team management holds the opener in high regard, and rightfully so, but the 30-year-old has had trouble regaining his previous batting form since making his comeback from injury earlier this year.

He will definitely start the Australian series: Dinesh Karthik

KL Rahul managed a total of 57 runs in his four innings of batting during the ongoing two-match Test series in Bangladesh. Men in Blues veteran wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik opines that the Lucknow franchise skipper believes that Rahul may not be fired anytime soon and that the Indian squad should support him during this difficult time in his career. However, he adds that it will be challenging for the opener to preserve his spot if he is unable to turn around his fortunes during the Australia Tests.

“Let’s look at the recent past,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz. “Before these two Bangladesh Tests, three against South Africa, four against England that he played. In those 7 Tests, he’s got two centuries and two fifties and those are in away conditions. These are tough conditions to play in, so as a support staff of the Indian team when you look at him, you know he’s got the skill. He’s not going through the best of times at this point, and you got to back him.”

“He’s the (stand-in) captain of the Indian team and you can’t let go of him easy. I think, he will definitely start the Australian series, and if things don’t go well there, that is where the questions will start to arise in a much bigger manner,” he added.