"Should be left alone and not be scrutinised" - Murali Vijay on under-fire KL Rahul
Former opener Murali Vijay believes that out-of-form Indian batter KL Rahul is aware of what he needs to do to stage a turnaround following a series of disappointing outings in Tests.
Vijay underlined that such stages are a part and parcel of a cricketer's career. He believes that instead of criticizing Rahul during this time, people should give him some space.
The 38-year-old suggested that Rahul should use this time to focus on his basics in a bid to make a strong comeback in the near future. Speaking about the opening batter in an interview with the Hindustan Times, Vijay said:
"He [KL Rahul] knows what it is and what he needs to do to make a comeback. I think KL should be left alone and not be scrutinised the way they are doing at the moment. It happens to any cricketer. I think KL should take it easy and work on his basics and use this time to unwind himself and rejuvenate and comeback strong."
Notably, Rahul started as India's first-choice opener during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. However, he failed to make the most of the opportunity, aggregating just 38 runs from three innings.
The right-handed batter was sacked as India's Test vice-captain ahead of the third Test, and also failed to find a place in the playing XI in the last two Tests.
Shubman Gill, who replaced Rahul in the side, made a strong case for himself with a spectacular 128-run knock in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.
"Skill-wise, I really love Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw" - Murali Vijay on young Indian openers
Upon being asked who could be the next batting superstar of Team India, Murali Vijay stated that every player who is a part of the national team is already a superstar.
He named Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw as the two players who have impressed him the most with their skills. The former cricketer further mentioned that the likes of Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer have also performed admirably for India.
"There are 15 superstars playing for India, Vijay elaborated. "If you are playing for India, you are already a superstar for me. But skill wise I really love Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw. They are top players. Rishabh Pant has done a great job for Indian cricket as well. I wish him a speedy recovery. Shreyas Iyer is doing well."
Speaking about Shaw's absence from the Indian team, Vijay remarked that he didn't know why the swashbuckler wasn't being picked. He claimed that only the team management can state the reason behind the player's prolonged absence, adding:
"I don't know why he is not playing now. You should ask the team management."
Shaw was rewarded with a place in India's T20I team during the home series against New Zealand earlier this year following a good run in domestic cricket. However, he didn't get to feature in a single game in the three-match series.