KL Rahul's 19-Ball 39 Against Afghanistan Leaves Gautam Gambhir in Disbelief
India head coach Gautam Gambhir was quite impressed to see KL Rahul's blitzkrieg in the first ODI against Afghanistan.
KL Rahul marked his return to 'T20 cricket' in an Indian shirt after the first ODI against Afghanistan was reduced to 25 overs per side due to rain. Rahul, who is one of the mainstays of the Indian team in the 50-over format, got a rare opportunity to show head coach Gautam Gambhir and other members of the team management how much he has worked on his batting in the shortest format, and what he can do if given the chance. The veteran batter went on to smash a whopping 39 off just 19 balls as India chased down the target of 195 runs with more than two overs to spare.
During his stay in the middle, Rahul slammed a total of three sixes and four fours. One of his maximums left even head coach Gambhir impressed; his reaction to Rahul's blitz in the middle said it all.
THE REACTION OF GAUTAM GAMBHIR ON KL RAHUL'S SIX. pic.twitter.com/4UrvNk4srn
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 13, 2026
After the match, Shubman Gill said India lost control early on as Afghanistan, led by a brilliant innings from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, took the game away in the first innings. However, he praised India's strong comeback.
Gill praised the performances of Harpreet Brar and Shivam Dube, highlighting Gurnoor Brar's impact with both the new ball and at the death, and Dube's strong comeback after an expensive first over. He also emphasised the importance of controlling the middle overs in ODIs, maintaining pressure while bowling, and rotating the strike effectively while batting, noting that these are key aspects discussed in team strategies.
"The way we started, they pulled the game away from us. Gurbaz was brilliant and took the game away from us, but we fought back well. It was a brilliant wicket for batting. When we were bowling, there was a bit of grip, but it came on nicely when we batted," Gill said at the post-match presentation.
"Gurnoor, the way he bowled with the new ball and then came back at the death. Harpreet as well, the way he came back after conceding 16 runs in his first over. In ODIs, the middle overs are crucial; when bowling, you need to keep creating opportunities and maintain pressure. When batting, it's about finding the gaps and rotating the strike. That's exactly what we discuss in the team meetings as well," Gill added.
With ANI Inputs
India Cricket Team
Afghanistan
KL Rahul
Gautam Gambhir