"It was about Test matches, not in ODIs" - Venkatesh Prasad says he never questioned KL Rahul's place in ODI format
Former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad has clarified that he never criticized KL Rahul for his performances in the ODI format.
Prasad questioned Rahul's place in the Indian team when his performance in Test format was not up to the mark. When Rahul scored a match-winning 97* for India last night (October 8) in the 2023 World Cup match against Australia, fans sent a lot of messages to Prasad reminding him of his previous statements.
When asked about KL Rahul's criticism on News18, Venkatesh Prasad replied (2:22):
"Well, look whatever little criticism I had about KL Rahul, it was about Test matches, not in ODIs. I've cleared that aspect with you.
"Having said that, that partnership was important. In the mid-show, I had said India will have to bat patiently and build partnerships, and that is exactly what KL Rahul and Virat Kohli did," Prasad added.
Prasad pointed out that Australian captain Pat Cummins missed a trick by not allowing Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to continue bowling after their fiery spell in the powerplay.
"Maybe, Pat Cummins could have continued with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Instead of bowling them just four overs each, he should have given them an over or two," Prasad opined.
"I see Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli, and one Virat Kohli over here" - Mohinder Amarnath lauds the modern-day ODI legend
Virat Kohli once again stepped up and delivered the goods for India in an ODI run-chase. During his 85-run knock, Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most runs in successful run-chases. Praising Kohli, former Indian cricketer Mohinder Amarnath said on News18 (16:02):
"I see Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli, and one Virat Kohli over here. So, he is such a fantastic player. He has gone through it, he's seen it all, he knows how to plan, how to go about it. And I think what I like about him is when he goes, he doesn't think about anything else except playing his normal game."
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will return to the field on Wednesday (October 11). India will play their second match of 2023 World Cup against Afghanistan in Delhi.