India National Cricket Team batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has stated that the star batsman KL Rahul will need some luck on his side in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Sunil Gavaskar has also opined that KL Rahul will have no issues in performing Down Under in the high-octane five-match Test series against Australia National Cricket Team.
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KL Rahul likely to open for India in Perth Test
The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between India and Australia will commence on November 22 in Perth.
India skipper Rohit Sharma will be missing the match as he has taken paternity leave, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will need a new opening partner.
India have two primary options in the squad – Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul – and both the batters struggled in the unofficial Tests against Australia A.
Reportedly, KL Rahul, because of his experience at the international level, has been finalized by the Gautam Gambhir-led coaching staff to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Abhimanyu Easwaran despite his exceptional first-class record will be warming the bench.
KL Rahul got one of the finest centuries that I have witnessed first-hand in South Africa – Sunil Gavaskar
Speaking ahead of the Test series opener, Sunil Gavaskar stated that Rahul has done a great job for India in overseas Tests and he won’t have any issues this time around as well.
“KL Rahul got one of the finest centuries that I have witnessed first-hand in South Africa last year opening the batting, so doing so here again won’t be an issue for him.
“Like all batters he will need some luck at the start and if he gets that he can get the team off to a solid opening,” Gavaskar told PTI in an exclusive interview ahead of the series opener.
KL Rahul has overall played 53 Tests for India National Cricket Team and has scored 2981 runs at an average of 33.87.
With the experience in this team, I am sure they will guide the youngsters to look at the next one – Sunil Gavaskar
India will be entering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on the back of a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand. They will be under tremendous pressure as it was the worst-ever performance by the Indian team on home soil in the history of Test cricket.
However, Sunil Gavaskar wants the Men In Blue to forget the series against the Black Caps and focus solely on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
“Just like a batter is trained to forget the previous delivery and focus on the next one, so do good teams forget what’s happened in the previous Test match and concentrate on the next one.”
“With the experience in this team, I am sure they will guide the youngsters to look at the next one and not think about the previous one,” said Gavaskar.