KL Rahul, Team India’s keeper-batter, acknowledged that he is aware of the criticism surrounding his batting, which can sometimes be harsh. He emphasized that he does consider the criticism if it is valid.
The Karnataka cricketer will next play for India in their third and final group match of the 2025 Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, March 2. Ahead of the match, Rahul spoke about being consistently scrutinized for his batting performances during a press conference.
He said (at Cricbuzz):
“I’m quite used to seeing it and hearing it and reading about it. Yeah, And sometimes I just sit back and see whether the criticism is valid.”
”I will fail sometimes, I will make mistakes, I will make mistakes in reading the game and that’s the beauty of sport and for me if my heart is in the right place and if I am thinking that this is the best way for me to win the game, then I can go back home and sleep peacefully.”
“But I mean, yes, I do read about it. And if it’s valid, then I’ll take it into account,” he went on to add.
https://x.com/bcci/status/1895052574371520982?s=46
Rahul contributed a crucial 41* off 47 balls in India’s six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Dubai. Chasing 229, India was 144-4, but Rahul and Shubman Gill (101* off 129) formed an unbroken 87-run partnership to lead India to victory.
“It’s always challenging” – KL Rahul on batting at different positions in ODIs
Despite occasional criticism of his batting, Rahul’s commitment to the team is unquestionable. He stepped in as wicketkeeper in ODIs when Rishabh Pant was unavailable and has frequently been moved up and down the order.
Acknowledging the difficulty of not having a fixed position, KL Rahul shared his thoughts:
“It’s never easy for anyone on the team to be moving in different places but yeah, that’s, that’s how the game goes. Whatever the team thinks is the best possible combination and what they feel is the best entry points for the player, you leave it up to the team to decide and you just try and do your job.”
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