Indian coach Rahul Dravid threw his weight behind the struggling KL Rahul even as the opener continues to fail at the T20 World Cup 2022.
Question marks continue to grow on Rahul’s spot after three successive failures in the Super 12s stage. The opener began his tournament with a nervous 4 off 8 against Pakistan at the MCG and has only carried on in the same vein since, making 9 off 12 and 9 off 14 versus the Netherlands and South Africa.
Rahul’s indifferent footwork and early dismissals have tended to set a negative tone for the Indian innings and forced others to take risks in conditions that have offered the seamers lateral movement and high-end bounce. The struggles aren’t new either: since the beginning of the Asia Cup 2022, Rahul is averaging a measly 27.33 with a strike-rate of 121.03 over 13 innings.
His namesake, however, said the batter’s form is not much of his concern as the team management stands firmly behind their regular opener.
“No, not at all,”
Dravid told the press, when asked if Rahul’s lack of runs at the top are a cause of a headache for him.
“I think he’s a fantastic player, and he’s got a proven track record. He’s done really well. I thought he’s been batting superbly. These things can happen in a T20 game sometimes. It’s not been that easy for top-order batsmen, this tournament has been pretty challenging.”
“I thought he was superb in the practice game against Australia with Mitchell Starc and Patrick Cummins. It was a pretty good attack, and I thought he batted superbly that day [for his 57 off 33]. So he’s actually playing really well. Just hoping it all clicks together over the next three or four games.”
Dravid said Rahul’s strong backfoot game shall hold him in good stead as he approaches the Bangladesh game eyeing a return to big-scoring ways.
Speaking of the conditions in Australia, he said the top-end summer start to the competition, with rain spicing up the tracks, gives Rahul some leeway and that he can afford to take some time before exploding.
“In these conditions, maybe we are able to afford him that time. We completely back him. We have no concerns about him. We know that when he gets going, and I’ve seen it against Australia, against a top-class attack just a couple of weeks ago, I know the impact this guy can make. In Rohit’s and my mind, there’s absolutely no doubt about who’s going to open for us.”
Dravid’s support for Rahul isn’t limited to the media talk. The former India captain stood clear that the player enjoys his firm support, and they continue to hold strong conversations with him on technique and his mental makeup at the crease.
“Rest assured, both in words and in action, over the last year, he knows he has our support. He has known that,”
he said of the player that hasn’t quite done justice to that trust and support so far.
Rahul would know it. Since the beginning of last year, against India’s major T20I oppositions – England, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa – the batter averages only 19.82 with a strike-rate of 113.86.
Amidst Rahul’s struggles, there have been suggestions for Rishabh Pant to come in at the top of the order. But that seems unlikely at this stage unless Dinesh Karthik’s injury concerns lead to him missing the Bangladesh game. Either way, Rahul needs to perform to keep earning Dravid’s faith.
