"What a poor knock" - Fans troll KL Rahul for scoring 37 runs off 111 balls in Duleep Trophy
India A captain KL Rahul got off to a decent start but failed to convert it into a big sore in the ongoing Duleep Trophy fixture against India B at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Day 3 (Saturday, September 7). Fans criticized the wicketkeeper-batter, who scored 37 runs off 111 balls, comprising four boundaries, before getting cleaned up by Washington Sundar to leave his team in a spot of bother at 169/5.
Rahul had also failed to deliver in the recently concluded ODI series in Sri Lanka. The right-handed batter scored 31 and a duck in his first two outings before being dropped for the third and final ODI for Rishabh Pant.
In the five-match Test series against England earlier this year, Rahul managed only one game, scoring 86 and 22 runs in the opening Test. The Karnataka batter sustained a quadriceps injury in the opening game in Hyderabad.
With Pant set to make his Test comeback, Rahul needs to stay fit and consistent to keep his place in the side. Youngsters like Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan (both wicketkeepers) also proved themselves during the Test series against England.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) trolled KL Rahul for his below-par knock during the Duleep Trophy match. One user wrote:
"Not sure how many more chances he is going to waste, such a waste of talent!"
Another user wrote:
"What a poor knock! He should've carried the start."
A third user added:
"At what point do we stop labeling it as "Bad luck" and actually blame him for his failures????"
Here are a few more reactions:
In Test cricket, Rahul has amassed 2863 runs in 50 Tests, including eight tons and 14 half-centuries so far.
India A vs India B Duleep Trophy game evenly poised on Day 3
The Duleep Trophy game between India A and India B was evenly poised during the morning session on Day 3.
At the time of writing, India A were 201/6, with Tanush Kotian and Kuldeep Yadav at the crease. Navdeep Saini has been the pick of the bowlers, picking up three wickets so far.
Batting first, India B put up 321 in their first innings, thanks to a stunning knock from Musheer Khan. The right-handed batter scored 181 off 373 deliveries, a knock laced with five sixes and 16 boundaries. Meanwhile, Saini chipped in with 56 off 44. The duo shared a game-changing 205-run partnership after the team was reduced to 94-7.
Akash Deep starred with the ball for India A, finishing with figures of 4/60, while Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan bagged two wickets apiece.
Follow the Duleep Trophy live score and updates here.