Rohit Sharma backs K.L. Rahul in second Test

NEW DELHI: With pressure mounting on K.L. Rahul following his poor run of form, including in the second Test at New Delhi, India captain Rohit Sharma hinted at the team persisting with the right-handed opener, saying if a player, whether it is him or anyone, has got the potential, will get a longer rope in the team.

Since January 2022, Rahul has just one fifty-plus score while his last Test hundred came in December 2021 against South Africa. In the Delhi Test against Australia, Rahul was dismissed for 17 in the first innings and made just one in the chase of 115, coming after making a laborious 20 in Nagpur.

With Shubman Gill waiting in the wings, Rahul, who is also India’s vice-captain in the Test team, is under pressure to hold on to his spot.

“Of late, there has been a lot of talk about his batting. But again, for us as team management, we always look at any individual’s potential, not just K.L, in the past. If the guy has potential, he will get an extended run, not just about KL, it’s anyone. If you look at a couple of hundreds he’s got in overseas, one of the best knocks was at Lord’s, batting on that damp pitch after losing the toss and put in.” (IANS)