The second Test between India and England is near, and all eyes are on star batsman KL Rahul.
After the defeat in the first Test at Headingley, cricket experts and fans feel that Rahul now has no choice but to score runs.
Sanjay Manjrekar has openly said that KL Rahul will now have to prove his form, otherwise his place may be in danger.
Manjrekar praised Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill on Star Sports
“There is another senior batter in the team, who now has got no choice but to carry his form right through the series. Indian cricket needs him badly, and KL Rahul cannot be a one-hundred wonder or a one-Test-match performer,”
Additionally He said, “Pant is the superstar of Test cricket. He never misses a chance to score runs.”
At the same time, describing new captain Shubman Gill as perfect for number 4, Manjrekar said,
“Gill’s style is great. He can score big, provided he avoids getting out.”
Comparing Gill’s captaincy to Virat Kohli, Sanjay Manjrekar said that Gill’s style is different, but he will definitely challenge the opposition team with his batting.
The real test of KL Rahul
Talking about KL Rahul, he has been showing amazing performance in Test cricket since the beginning. But his biggest problem is consistency.
Many times he had to be dropped from the team due to poor form. India could not defend 371 runs in the Headingley Test, and the flop of the lower order has increased the pressure on the top order.
Rahul will now have to make his place by scoring runs on the difficult pitches of England.
India’s bowling is also in the news in the next Test to be held at Edgbaston. If Jasprit Bumrah remains out, then Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Siraj can take charge of fast bowling.
Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav can be seen in spin. Kuldeep’s return can be in place of Shardul Thakur, which can prove to be a game-changer for India.
For now, after the defeat in the first Test, India will have to make a comeback, and for this the top order, especially KL Rahul, will have to take responsibility.
