"He has been beaten several times, but never looked flustered" - Ashish Nehra on KL Rahul's innings on Day 1
Former India bowler Ashish Nehra lauded KL Rahul for his patient innings in the first session of the second Test. The 29-year-old was resilient at the crease and was unbeaten at lunch on 19 off 74 deliveries.
Lunch on Day 1 of the 2nd Test.
#TeamIndia 53/3
Scorecard - bcci.tv/events/48/indi… #SAvIND https://t.co/ylJ5vwOfuE
KL Rahul is leading the Indian Test team for the first time in the absence of Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper was ruled out of the contest due to an upper back spasm. The interim skipper looked composed at the crease despite a probing spell from the South African bowling unit. Nehra termed Rahul's innings as 'organzied' while speaking to Cricbuzz. The former pacer said:
"If you look at the last 6 months, KL Rahul's life has turned around. The ones who are mentally strong, always remain there. There will be a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. It has been an organized innings by KL Rahul so far. He has been beaten several times, but he has never looked flustered. He used to look unsettled in 2018 and 2019 in similar situations."
Toss Update - KL Rahul has won the toss and elects to bat first in the 2nd Test.
Captain Virat Kohli misses out with an upper back spasm.
#SAvIND https://t.co/2YarVIea4H
Nehra also spoke about Rahul's revamped defensive approach ever since the tour of England. The wicket-keeper batter came into the playing XI after first choice Mayank Agarwal sustained a concussion during practice. Nehra added:
"If we talk about KL Rahul's template since the England series, he has completely evolved into a defensive player now. There won't be much difference in the strike rate between Rahul and Pujara. These are difficult conditions to play and Rahul has accepted this as his template now. It is a template that has brought him a lot of success, especially in challenging conditions," Nehra opined.
In challenging English conditions, Rahul countered the likes of Anderson and co. with grit and determination. He scored 315 runs at an average of 39.38 to seal his spot at the top of the order alongside Rohit Sharma.
Vihari can look at this as a perfect opportunity: Nehra
India endured a poor end to the first session with Duanne Olivier striking twice in quick succession. The collapse has brought Hanuma Vihari to the crease a bit earlier than desired. The former cricketer labeled Vihari the perfect candidate for such precarious situations. Nehra reasoned:
"There is not much doubt over Vihari's future like with Pujara or Rahane. The team would hope that he plays like he has played before in Australia and West Indies. In situations like this, he is perfect, he can look at his as a perfect opportunity. If he scores even a 50, it will be important for him and Indian cricket. He will have to set small goals."
Prior to the ongoing Test, Vihari was last seen in the 2021 New Year's Test against Australia in Sydney. India are currently placed at 60-3 with Vihari unbeaten at 9 off 23 deliveries.