KL Rahul has been under immense scrutiny for his string of poor performances in Test cricket. With Shubman Gil waiting in the wings, the calls for Rahul's ouster from the team are only growing. His recent scores of 8, 10, 12, 22, 23, 10, 2, 20, 17 and 1, aren't helping his case either.
But Gautam Gambhir, who is a mentor to Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, is of the view that KL shouldn't be singled out and called for the team to back him as he is a talented player. "KL Rahul should not be dropped from the Indian side. One should not single out any player. Everyone goes through a lean patch. No one, no cricket pundit or anyone should tell him that he is not doing well and be dropped," Gambhir told PTI.
Gambhir cited the example of captain Rohit Sharma and how he was backed in Test cricket. "You have to back players who have talent. Look at Rohit Sharma. He also had a lean patch. Look at the way he started his career. He had a late flourish. Compared (earlier times) to how he is performing now. Everyone could see his talent and backed him. Now see the result. He is going great guns. Rahul can do the same," Gammbhir seemed confident in his abilities.
The southpaw is of the opinion that if the team is winning matches comfortably, there is no point in tinkering with winning the combination and single out one player for harsh treatment. "India is 2-0 up and not 0-2 down. So let's not axe anyone and appreciate the team's performance. I think the Indian team management is right in backing KL Rahul. He is a great player. He had scored runs in international cricket."
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The next Test is scheduled for March 1 in Indore.