"Might need some time off from the game" - Dinesh Karthik feels out-of-form KL Rahul will dropped for 3rd IND vs AUS Test
Senior wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes under-fire batter KL Rahul will not find a place in India's playing XI for the upcoming third Test against Australia at the Holkar Cricket Stadium.
He mentioned that Rahul's dismissal in India's second innings of the Delhi Test was unfortunate, with the ball rebounding off short-leg fielder Peter Handscomb and going into the hands of keeper Alex Carey.
Karthik, however, stated that the batter won't be dropped because of that single innings, but for his dismal performances in the past few Tests. Discussing Rahul's lack of form, he told Cricbuzz:
"I think he [KL Rahul] played the best shot possible to that ball. But he would also know that if he is going to be dropped for the remaining matches, which is pretty much an eventuality, it is not because of this one innings. It is because of what has happened and transpired over the last five or six Test matches."
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Karthik suggested that the batter should consider taking a break to be ready for the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting on March 17.
The 37-year-old opined that Rahul's failures aren't due to any technical issues and that his lean patch has more to do with what's going on in his head. He added that the player is one of the top batters in world cricket and backed him to make a strong comeback in the near future.
"He is a class player and is very good in all formats," Karthik added. "But at this point in time, I don't think it's the technique. I think it's because of what happens between the ears that's really troubling him. He might need some time off from the game to go back and come back fresh for the ODIs.
"One thing is for sure: he will come back strong and when he does, there are not many right-handed batters that you can watch in terms of the quality and the range of shots that he has."
KL Rahul has been criticized by several fans and former cricketers for his poor performances in the first two Tests. He was dismissed for 20 in the opening Test and finished with scores of 17 and 1 in the second fixture.
"I have to go with Shubman Gill" - Dinesh Karthik on KL Rahul's replacement
Dinesh Karthik further stated that India will only make a single change to their playing XI for the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
He reckoned that Shubman Gill deserves to come into the side in place of KL Rahul, given that he has performed admirably in recent outings.
"I have to go with Shubman Gill, he's just batted beautifully. There will be just one change in the playing XI. I feel very bad for KL Rahul, I think he's been under the scanner," Karthik added.
The veteran keeper sympathized with Rahul, suggesting that the batter is bound to feel very low after his dismissal in the second innings in Delhi.
"Yes, it's a professional world, it's a sport, and you've got to deal with your dismissals and those sorrowful moments," he elaborated. "But as a player, when I look at what he's gone through when you get out this way knowing that it very well could have been your last innings, it has happened to me where you go into the dressing room, you quietly walk into the toilet, and shed a tear or two. It's not a nice feeling."
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It is worth mentioning that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named an unchanged squad for the last two Tests on Sunday, February 19. However, Rahul was removed as the vice-captain.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Co. beat Australia by six wickets in Delhi to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. With the victory, India have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The third match of the four-match series will be played in Indore and is slated to kick off on Wednesday, March 1.
India's squad for 3rd and 4th Test
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, S Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, R Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, and Jaydev Unadkat.