"Kya heera ladka chuna hai wah beti" - Top 10 KL Rahul memes after India takes 2-0 lead in 3-match ODI series agaisnt Australia
Several fans have lauded Team India stand-in captain KL Rahul after his brilliant performance as a batter and as captain in the first two ODIs against Australia on September 24.
Regular captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik Pandya were rested for the first two games in the wake of India winning the Asia Cup last week. KL Rahul has taken over the reins in their absence and done a commendable job so far, as India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning both matches comfortably.
After being asked to bat first, India reached a mammoth total of 399/5 in the second ODI on Sunday in Indore. Shreyas Iyer hit an aggressive century to underline his credentials ahead of the World Cup.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja then scalped three wickets apiece and helped the hosts win the game convincingly by 99 runs (DLS method).
KL Rahul, meanwhile, has struck contrasting half-centuries in the two ODIs of the series.
Fans were impressed with his leadership after India's latest win, and some claimed he has been a lucky charm to several players. From Virat Kohli last year to Shreyas Iyer on Sunday, multiple players have made memorable comebacks with Rahul being at the helm of the side.
Here are some of the best reactions and memes on Rahul's recent exploits:
"It was a different game after it started spinning" - KL Rahul after winning 2nd ODI vs Australia in Indore
After the conclusion of the match, KL Rahul reflected on the victory and talked about the role that the spinners played.
"I didn't think the wicket would spin this much when I went into bat or saw the wicket in the morning," he said. "But the quality of finger spinners in your team does help you. Defending 400 gives you a bit of confidence and It was a different game after it started spinning."
On the selection decisions for the team management, Rahul said:
"It's a headache for the coach and Rohit when he comes back. The roles are clear whoever gets picked up. Sitting out can be hard after scoring a lot of runs and that's how it works. We dropped a couple of catches and it's hard to get used to the lights when you are traveling every two days. Fielding is directly related to how fit and fresh you are."
The third and final ODI of the series between the two sides will take place on Wednesday (September 27) at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.