KL Rahul isn’t far away from scoring big: Ravi Shastri

The 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was touted to create a new chapter in KL Rahul’s international career. The right-hander plundered runs at will and even the best in the business bowed down in front of him, such was his oomph and aura. Subsequently, he was drafted in all three squads for the tour of England. He scored a T20I century in Manchester but entered into a slump thereafter.

Leave along scoring centuries, the Karnataka batsman strained to get even into double-figures. However, he kept getting chances, but couldn’t grab the opportunities. The selectors ran out of patience and dropped him from the ongoing limited-overs series against New Zealand.

I think he has to go back to playing India A

Rahul hasn’t performed for India A as well in the unofficial ODI series. In the meantime, Ravi Shastri, the Indian cricket team’s head coach, mentioned that Rahul isn’t far away from getting a huge score under his belt. Shastri feels that Rahul’s talent is too good to be wasted.

“Yes, we have backed him. But I know he is not far away (from a good score). The problem is at the beginning of his innings – he needs a start. If he gets to 15-20 runs he is as good a player as any in the world when he starts stroking. But the problem is that (getting the start) and it is something that he has to address,” Shastri was quoted as saying in an exclusive interview with Cricbuzz.

“I think he has to go back to playing India A and it is a question of him spending time at the crease and getting runs. But I am sure he will be back, because the talent is there. It is too big a talent there to be wasted,” Shastri, also a former Indian cricketer, added.

Rahul made his debut in the 2014-15 tour of Australia and racked up a sparkling century at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Then, the youngster scored tons against Sri Lanka, Windies, and England. But the 26-year-old hasn’t got a century in Test cricket since December 2016. When asked about whether remodeling his batting has led to the failures, Shastri exemplified Indian captain Virat Kohli’s growth as a player.

“It is difficult to say that, but it could be. At times it can be. You play certain formats and you are very successful. Then you want to take that game into the purest format, which will not allow you. That’s the classic example where you have to come back to Virat Kohli,” he added.

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