"Looked like he was in a very good zone" - Zaheer Khan on KL Rahul's gutsy knock on Day 1 of IND vs SA 1st Test
Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was the visitors' lone warrior with the bat on Day 1 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
After being asked to bat first, the Asian giants found themselves in a precarious position following the dismissals of their top-order batters. Rahul walked out to bat when India were reeling at 92/4. He showcased tremendous composure under pressure, notching up a stunning half-century. Rahul remained unbeaten on 70 as the visitors finished 208/8 at stumps after a rain delay.
Lauding Rahul for his batting exploits, former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan told Cricbuzz:
"KL Rahul's batting was one of the biggest positives. This is a new beginning for him in Test matches as a keeper-batter. It was an outstanding knock, and that too in challenging conditions. He played his shots once the lower-order batters came in.
"India are only in this position because of him. His footwork was up to the mark, and it looked like he was in a very good zone. If he goes on to score 30-40 runs tomorrow as well, it will surely be counted as a top-notch hundred."
Shardul Thakur also chipped in with a crucial 24-run cameo at No. 8. Zaheer praised the bowling all-rounder for fighting it out for his team despite being hit on the body twice, adding:
"On such a wicket, you need someone with this attitude in the middle. Shardul Thakur showed a great temperament. It is not easy when you are fighting hard on the pitch and get hit on the body twice. But the way he played, despite the blows, was commendable. It was a courageous knock."
KL Rahul and Shardul Thakur accumulated crucial runs for the side, forming a 43-run stand for the seventh wicket.
"He is always well-prepared for the big battles" - Zaheer Khan on Kagiso Rabada
South Africa's pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers on the opening day, as he claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests. He dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Shardul Thakur.
Reflecting on the seamer's performance, Zaheer Khan pointed out how he has often done well on the big stage, saying:
"He has led South Africa's bowling attack really well following Dale Steyn's retirement. If we look at his career, it is clear that he enjoys the big occasions. He is always well-prepared for the big battles, which I feel is the highlight of his career. For a bowler, it is important to enjoy the big occasions."
Zaheer, however, opined that the South African bowlers gave a few easy runs on the challenging wicket, adding:
"Even once the ball got older, there was still a lot of help on offer for the fast bowlers. South African bowlers took wickets consistently, but they leaked a lot of runs, considering the pitch and the conditions. The discipline was missing and they could have done a better job in terms of runs."
While Rabada claimed five wickets on Day 1, left-arm pacers Nandre Burger and Marco Jansen finished with two and one wickets, respectively.