Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that KL Rahul’s temperamental problems persisted as the batsman struggled to get going on the opening day of the first Test match against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
KL Rahul’s Disappointing Performance Against Bangladesh
KL Rahul entered the bat with India behind 96/4, but he could only muster 16 runs off of 52 balls, his stroke play clearly uncomfortable.
Rahul made his Test debut tonight after sitting out the final four games of this year’s England series. Even though he scored an outstanding 86 in the first Test match against England, he had already showed potential. However, even though he did well against Bangladesh, his performance was still not at anyway close to his best. Manjrekar has observed a pattern in Rahul’s career: despite his recent run of runs, he frequently exhibits an uneasy demeanour at the bat.
‘An Innings Without Purpose’: Manjrekar On KL Rahul
“This has been the KL Rahul story. It’s amazing that he plays a brilliant innings at the Test level and the next two three innings it seems like he has got a pair in the last Test. Even when you saw him bat today, it almost seemed an innings without purpose. That can happen, it happened to me in the second half of my career where everything was internal,” Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.
Focus On Getting More Runs Very Crucial According To Manjrekar
“I went in to bat just thinking about my technique and am I going to play the ball well, imagining a certain kind of delivery coming my way. And I’ve got to play instead of going to your instinct as a batter which I think all the other Indian batters practice that is about getting runs. Even if you’re defending looking for ones and twos,” he added.
Also Read: ENG Vs AUS, 1st ODI: Travis Head Fires Career-Best Ton As Australia Thrashes England
Manjrekar thinks that Rahul’s temperament, which has been a problem for him throughout his career, is the root of his problems.
Prior to the Test between India and Bangladesh, Kl Rahul has participated in 50 Test matches during his career, amassing 2,863 runs at an average of 34. In tests, he has scored 345 fours and 24 sixes.
