KL Rahul's string of low scores is creating more noise than ever. The India opener failed to score big in the first Two Tests against Australia. Though he has been retained for the third and fourth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the pressure on Rahul is intense. Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad has been very vocal about Rahul being given a long rope despite repeated failures. Now, another former India pacer Dodda Ganesh, has given a logic on why Rahul is getting repeated chances.
"Rahul Dravid and the think tank has immense faith in KL Rahul's abilities, so he is getting an extended run like Rohit got in ODIs. We all know KL is a special player. It's high time he converted his potential into consistent scores. Let's hope he comes good in the last 2 tests," Dodda Ganesh wrote, after retweeting Venkatesh Prasad's post.
Prasad, a former India pace great, wrote: "There is a view that KL Rahul has an outstanding overseas Test record. But stats speak otherwise. He has a test avg of 30 overseas in 56 innings. He has scored 6 overseas centuries but followed it up with a string of low scores that's why averaging 30. Let's look at a few others
"Shikhar Dhawan has the best overseas average amongst recent openers. Avg of nearly 40 with 5 100's. Though he too hasn't been consistent in Test but had Outstanding centuries in SL and NZ, plus a much better home record.
"Mayank Agarwal after the brilliant start in Aust did struggle in away test matches.But he has by far the best home record. Avg of nearly 70 in 13 innings,2 double 100's & a 150 on a Wankhede pitch where everyone else struggled. Great against spin & had a prolific domestic season
"Shubhman Gill has had a brief international career and in 14 overseas innings averages 37, with his 91 at Gabba amongst the best overseas 4th innings and has been in outstanding form .
"And if overseas performance is a criteria, Ajinkya Rahane despite being out of form and also inconsistent before being dropped had obe of the best overseas Test record, averaging over 40 overseas in 50 test matches. Was out of form and dropped …
"But with KL being retained for the remaining 2 test matches, if he is picked in the playing 11, Indore is his best chance of coming back to form and silencing critics like me. Else needs to play county cricket, perform well and make a comeback in the Test side."