Siraj was a contender for the Player of the Match award, but Rahul’s knock was outstanding: Saba Karim

Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim reckoned that KL Rahul’s knock in the first innings played a crucial role in India’s 151-run win over England in the Lord’s Test. Opening the batting, Rahul managed 129 off 250 balls with the help of 12 fours and one six. On the back of his knock, India posted 364 on the board and from there on, the visitors didn’t take a backward step.

En route to his knock, Rahul shared a 125-run stand with opening partner Rohit Sharma and a 117-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli. Karim said that the stupendous knock helped Rahul edge out Mohammed Siraj as the winner of the Player of the Match award.

Siraj had his moments as well. The right-arm fast bowler picked up eight wickets and was India’s standout bowler in the encounter. The speedster also bowled 10 maidens and showed a lot of aggression in his approach.

Saba Karim talks about the importance of KL Rahul’s knock

“He [Siraj] was definitely a contender but KL Rahul’s knock was outstanding. India had to bat first in overcast conditions, there he had a partnership with Rohit Sharma, although he played a slow knock. As soon as Rohit Sharma got out, he accelerated after that and gave the platform to the Indian team in the first innings,” Karim was quoted as saying to India News.

“We have discussed many times that whenever India scores more than 350 in the first innings, their chances of winning will increase. KL Rahul had a huge role in that. It was a wicket where other players struggled, only KL Rahul and Joe Root scored centuries, I feel because of that only KL Rahul was given the Man of the Match,” he stated.

As far as Rahul was concerned, he wasn’t among India’s first-choice openers to start with. However, luck favoured him and he got an opportunity in the Nottingham Test itself. As of now, the youngster has grabbed the chances with both hands.

Rahul is currently second in the list of leading run-scorers in the series after Joe Root, who has 386 runs at an average of 128.66 with two centuries and one half-century.