"KL Rahul is a good player, but he will have to wait for his chances" - Harbhajan Singh feels that Team India cannot drop either Shreyas or Kishan
Harbhajan Singh believes that KL Rahul cannot walk back into the Indian playing XI after recovering from injury to replace either Shreyas Iyer or Ishan Kishan. Rahul has been declared fit and has joined the team after missing out on the group stages.
In his absence, Ishan Kishan slotted in at No. 5 for the group-stage encounter against Pakistan and scored a brilliant half-century under pressure. The wicketkeeper-batter being left-handed is another aspect that works in his favor as he made 82 runs in his first-ever innings against Pakistan.
Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, played his first competitive contest since March during the group stage of the Asia Cup 2023. He had a lengthy spell off the game due to a back injury, for which he underwent surgery as well.
Opining that KL Rahul will have to wait for his opportunity, Harbhajan Singh said on his YouTube channel:
"It remains to be seen whether they will drop Iyer to bring Rahul in. I don't think that will happen, and it should not happen as well. If a player is dropped after just one game, it will severely hamper his confidence. KL Rahul is a good player, but he will have to wait for his chances, it is part of the game and how it works."
Further stating that India cannot be constantly changing batters after every single game, Harbhajan added:
"Shreyas Iyer also has just come in after an injury, and he should be given a proper opportunity. It should not be like if Iyer does not score runs in a game, then he is dropped for KL Rahul, and if KL Rahul does not score in the next game, then Suryakumar Yadav is brought in, it should not be like that."
KL Rahul's last match for India came during the home ODI series against Australia in March 2023. He led the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) but sustained an injury midway through the tournament.
"Ishan Kishan has absolutely sealed his position in the playing XI" - Harbhajan Singh
Ishan Kishan is arguably one of the most in-form Indian batters and most improved as well. He was adjudged Player of the Series following the ODIs against West Indies and has also shown his versatility by scoring a brilliant innings in an unfamiliar position.
A left-handed presence in the middle order really helped India to combat Pakistan's spin bowling in the middle overs. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz proved to be ineffective, leading to India making a comeback after being reduced to 66-4 at one stage.
Opining that Ishan Kishan should not be dropped for the returning KL Rahul, Harbhajan Singh said:
"Ishan Kishan has absolutely sealed his position in the playing XI, because if we drop him and bring in someone else at this point in time, then it won't be right."
"For me, Ishan just has to play, it is important. Now even if KL Rahul is fit, I think Ishan Kishan should be given the opportunity," he added.
The Super Fours encounter between India and Pakistan is scheduled for Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. It is to be noted that the match will have a reserve day.