Shikhar Dhawan trolls Rishabh Pant after KL Rahul’s impressive keeping

KL Rahul has been donning the keeping gloves of late for Team India. During the Men in Blue’s opening ODI against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Rishabh Pant developed a concussion after being hit on the helmet by a bouncer from Pat Cummins. He went for the pull and the ball ricocheted off his helmet on to the bat and lobbed to the fielder inside the circle.

Thereafter, Pant didn’t take the field in the second-half of the game. Even as Manish Pandey came in as his substitute, Rahul took his position behind the wickets. From there, Pant was scheduled to go to Bengaluru for his rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). It’s not yet known whether or not the southpaw could attain the desired fitness for the third ODI in Bengaluru on January 19.

Rahul impresses as a keeper

Meanwhile, Rahul was sharp behind the stumps in the  second ODI at the SCA Stadium in Rajkot. After India were put in to bat first, the Karnataka batter churned out 80 runs off 52 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes. His onslaught took the hosts to a formidable score of 340 in 50 overs. The knock boosted Rahul’s confidence and it rubbed off positively in his keeping as well.

To start with, he stumped Aaron Finch off Ravindra Jadeja to give India their second breakthrough. Then he took the catches of Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa to cap off a satisfactory day. Rahul’s impressive piece of work as the keeper impressed one and all, including Shikhar Dhawan. The Indian opener had an interview with Rahul after India’s victory to draw level in the three-game series.

Dhawan also took it as a chance poke fun at Pant, who he hilariously believes should be nervous after Rahul’s good show. Dhawan said that after seeing Rahul’s keeping, Pant would be doing his customary back-flip and say that he is totally fit. The mood in the camp would have been a little low after the defeat in the first game. However, the Indians have a spring in their step after the win.

Here is the clip of Rahul’s interview with Dhawan: –