'He is under pressure for multiple reasons' - Saba Karim sympathizes with KL Rahul after leadership appointment

The Indian team will take the field in the third ODI in hopes of avoiding an embarrassing series whitewash against hosts Bangladesh, following consecutive losses in the first two ODIs. Former Indian selector Saba Karim highlighted the pressure on stand-in skipper KL Rahul in the absence of the injured Rohit Sharma.

KL Rahul, who stood in for Rohit Sharma after the latter sustained a thumb injury during the first innings of the decisive second ODI, came under scrutiny for his rotation of the Indian bowlers, which allowed the hosts to recover from a precarious situation. His misery was further compounded in the second innings when he departed after a sluggish innings leaving India in a spot of bother. 

Former Indian cricketer and national selector Saba Karim feels that the 30-year-old will be under severe pressure after a disappointing outing in the second ODI in Dhaka. Saba stated that the pressure on the stylish batter increases due to the burden of multiple responsibilities in the current setup. Rahul is currently keeping the wickets in the absence of Rishabh Pant for the limited-overs series.

“KL Rahul is under pressure for multiple reasons. He is a wicketkeeper. In batting, you have to score runs and captaincy on top of it,” former cricketer Saba Karim said on India News.

You can’t expect Shikhar Dhawan to increase his strike rate from 80-90 to 140 overnight: Saba Karim

In the absence of the influential Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, his opening partner, and senior Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan needs to step up his game. The southpaw has not been productive enough for the Men in Blue at the top of the innings, with his slow scoring rate also becoming a debatable topic. However, Saba Karim backed the seasoned cricketer, highlighting the importance of his presence in the starting eleven.

“You can’t expect Shikhar Dhawan to increase his strike rate from 80-90 to 140 overnight. His presence gives you a steady start. We are expecting a lot from him,” Saba added.

India will be looking to avoid a series whitewash against Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming Test series, commencing next week in Chattogram.