T20 World Cup 2022: "They should continue backing him" - Robin Uthappa shows support for struggling KL Rahul

Former cricketer Robin Uthappa believes that Team India should give KL Rahul more chances, despite his string of poor performances at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.

He suggested that Rahul is a match-winner who will surely deliver for the team if he gets continuous opportunities. However, Uthappa noted that the right-handed batter had succumbed under pressure at the showpiece T20 event and urged him to get out of his shell.

He made these remarks about Rahul while speaking on ESPNcricinfo following India's five-wicket defeat to South Africa at the Perth Stadium on Sunday, October 30. Uthappa said:

"KL Rahul is a proven campaigner and when he fires, he is going to be a match-winner for India. I feel they should continue backing him. When you back a player like him consistently, there will come a point when he will finally perform.

"Rahul is under a lot of pressure and it seems as if he has gone into a shell and his mind is clouded."

Good times are those when everybody praise you.
But I am proud to be a #KLRahul𓃵 fan in this days❤.
Keep going @klrahul , bring your best and bash your haters.

#BelieveKLR MAKE A BEAST COMEBACK👍 https://t.co/HE8ddi2y6x

Rahul managed just nine runs off 14 deliveries during his brief stay at the crease against the Proteas. He has had an underwhelming campaign so far at the T20 World Cup 2022, mustering 22 runs from three outings at a dismal average of 7.33.

"Definitely among the top T20I batters in world cricket" - Wasim Jaffer heaps praise on India's Suryakumar Yadav

During the discussion, Wasim Jaffer noted how Suryakumar Yadav's form is going to be the key for the Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup 2022. He highlighted how it's tough to set the field for a player like him, given his ability to access all areas of the ground.

Yadav emerged as the lone warrior for India with the bat in their game against South Africa, scoring 68 runs off 40 balls to help the side register a respectable total of 133.

Jaffer opined that the dynamic batter will play a big role in the forthcoming contests as well. He explained:

"Suryakumar Yadav is definitely among the top T20I batters in world cricket. He's got a lot of options because of those unorthodox shots. It's always challenging to bowl against a batter who scores runs in all areas of the ground.

"He is a very important player in the Indian lineup and will be the key for India if they want to go ahead in this tournament."

Uthappa also lauded Yadav for his stunning batting exploits in the fixture. He pointed out how the player backs himself to do well in all situations and comes out with a positive intent even in pressure situations.

He added:

"Suryakumar Yadav is definitely among the top T20I batters in world cricket. He's got a lot of options because of those unorthodox shots. It's always challenging to bowl against a batter who scores runs in all areas of the ground.

"He is a very important player in the Indian lineup and will be the key for India if they want to go ahead in this tournament."

#TeamIndia fought hard but it was South Africa who won the match.

We will look to bounce back in our next game of the #T20WorldCup . 👍 👍

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/INDVSA-T20WC

#INDvSA https://t.co/Q6NGoZokuE

India suffered their maiden defeat in the tournament as they lost to South Africa by five wickets. With four points in three games, they are currently placed second in the Group 2 points table.