Virender Sehwag lauds Virat Kohli for making KL Rahul the great batsman he is today

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KEY STORY

  • Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Virender Sehwag has credited Team India skipper Virat Kohli for KL Rahul’s stupendous rise as a limited-overs batsman in the recent past. Rahul was India’s top performer with the bat in the second and penultimate ODI of the three-match series between India and England on Friday (March 26) in Pune.
  • Rahul’s sublime 108, laced with 7 fours and 2 sixes, propelled India to a daunting 336/6 in 50 overs, with good support from half-centurions Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant (77). However, the run-chase proved to be a cakewalk for England, who won by 6 wickets.
  • Following the second ODI, Sehwag credited Kohli and said on Cricbuzz Live, “KL Rahul has played at almost every slot. He might be one of the favourite batsmen of captain, hence he has tried to adjust him in every batting position. That is necessary, when a new player comes in, to make him a part of the playing XI.
  • Even if you play him at no. 11, but you have to play them to give them confidence. India captain Virat Kohli has a huge role in making KL Rahul the great batsman he is today,” Sehwag further stated.
  • He added, “When the openers come out to bat, the thought process is to cash in the first 10 overs. So, you get less time for yourself. Whenever I use to open the innings, I always use to think about whether I can make an impact in the first 10 overs, and cash in during the powerplay.”

CONCLUSION

  • Rahul had a forgettable outing in the five T20Is, playing the first four games and managing scores of 1, 0, 0, and 14 before being dropped for the final encounter.
  • He has, however, come to his usual best in the ODI format with 62 not out and 108 in the first two matches. The right-hander, barring his poor form in the recent England T20Is, has been India’s best batsman in T20Is and has also fulfilled several roles in the ODI format.
  • Rahul, with 1,557 T20I runs and 1,502 ODI runs at 50.06, will look to continue the momentum in the India-England ODI series decider on Sunday (March 28) in Pune. He will then join the Punjab Kings squad for the forthcoming IPL 2021 edition as their captain.

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