“It reminded me of Nathan McSweeney” - Sunil Gavaskar compares Indian batter with Australia opener in BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has lauded KL Rahul for his exceptional knock on Day 4 (Tuesday, December 17) of the third Border-Gavaskar 2024-25 Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane. Gavaskar said he was reminded of Nathan McSweeney during Australia's first innings and credited Rahul for leaving the deliveries outside the off stump and grinding throughout his innings.
The rest of India's top order had fallen into the trap, particularly Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma.
The 75-year-old drew further similarities between Rahul and erstwhile India batter Murali Vijay, who scored a ton in Australia during the 2014-15 tour.
KL Rahul scored 84 runs off 139 deliveries, a knock laced with eight boundaries. The other top five batters departed for single-digit scores, barring Rohit (10).
Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports (via India Today):
"Except for the first ball today, where he slightly followed the delivery, his judgment outside off-stump was fantastic.”
“KL Rahul left deliveries very close to the off-stump so consistently that it reminded me of Nathan McSweeney yesterday and, before him, Murali Vijay, who also had exceptional off-side judgment,” he added.
Rahul had scored 26 and 77 in the first Test in Perth, where India won by 295 runs. Rohit Sharma then sacrificed his opening spot in the second Test after missing the series opener due to personal reasons.
The Karnataka batter, however, returned with figures of 37 and 7 in the second Test in Adelaide, where the hosts registered a 10-wicket victory to level the five-Test series 1-1.
“Level of patience and skill that stood out” – Sunil Gavaskar on KL Rahul’s persistence
Sunil Gavaskar further credited KL Rahul for showcasing his skill and patience during his 84-run knock. He said in the same interaction:
"If you play the ball further forward, you risk edging it to slips. Rahul’s ability to play late and leave balls at the last moment was commendable. It’s a level of patience and skill that stood out in this innings.”
Besides KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja was the only bright spot for India among batters. The southpaw scored 77 off 123 balls, hitting one six and seven boundaries. The two players ensured India reached the 200-run mark. The tourists need 246 to avoid the follow-on.
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