Why can't KL Rahul get a long rope when others can? Sunil Gavaskar backs India vice-captain to fire at Asia Cup
India Today
Asia Cup 2022: Legendary Sunil Gavaskar, speaking to India Today, said KL Rahul deserves to be given more time and added he is confident that the vice-captain will find his rhythm sooner than later in the continental tournament.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed KL Rahul to get a longer rope at the top of the T20I team, saying that the vice-captain is a classy player who needs time to get back to the rhythm following his return from injury.
Sunil Gavaskar, speaking to India Today after the Asia Cup 2022 match against Hong Kong, said KL Rahul deserves a longer rope, questioning why the Karnataka batter shouldn't get it when a few others are being backed by the team management despite lean patches in T20I cricket.
Gavaskar's comments came after KL Rahul was heavily criticised for his slow knock against Hong Kong in India's final Group A match in Dubai. Rahul struggled to get going as he managed just 36 from 39 deliveries. Rahul showed signs of his vintage self by hitting a couple of well-timed sixes but the vice-captain was not able to maintain the tempo throughout the innings.
Rahul got out for a first-ball duck against Pakistan in India's Asia Cup 2022 opener and hampered India's progress in the first 10 overs against Hong Kong. Thanks to Suryakumar Yadav's stunning 26-ball 68 not out and Virat Kohli's 4-ball 59 not, India posted a match-winning total of 192 on the board in 20 overs against Hong Kong.
"I think KL Rahul is a class act. With the kind of performance he has had over the years for India... if you give others a long rope, why can't we give KL Rahul a long rope? He is your vice-captain as well. You give him a long rope because we have all seen what he is capable of in the T20 format," Sunil Gavaskar said.
"He is coming back from an injury, so that the rhythm is not quite there but the rhythm will come and when it comes, it will be devasting for the opposition," he added.
Meanwhile, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also said KL Rahul is just a knock away from returning to form, saying that the way the vice-captain timed the big hits on Wednesday shows he is not completely out of touch. Rahul underwent surgery for sports hernia in Germany after IPL 2022 and before his scheduled comeback in West Indies, he was diagnosed with Covid-19.
