Gautam Gambhir Defends KL Rahul Against Venkatesh Prasad’s Criticism Of His Bad Form

Gautam Gambhir defend KL Rahul: Gautam Gambhir, a former Indian opener, has retaliated against those who have questioned KL Rahul’s batting abilities during the ongoing Australia series.

Since the star opener was demoted to vice-captaincy during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul has remained in the spotlight.

The former Indian vice-captain is vying for a wicketkeeper-batsman role in the three-match One Day International (ODI) series between India and Australia after being replaced by Shubman Gill in India’s formidable top-order.

After the Australia series is over, KL Rahul will lead the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Before the start of the new season, Gautam Gambhir, who was named the global mentor for all Super Giants teams last year, has spoken out in support of the Indian opener.

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Gambhir says KL Rahul will soon come out of his rough patch

Gambhir responded strongly in support of the under-fire batter when asked if Rahul would be under pressure at the IPL after a disastrous series in the Australia Test series. The skeptics were reminded by the former Indian opener that Rahul was the star batter who led LSG to the playoffs last season.

“What kind of stress is it? The previous time we (Lucknow Super Giants) finished in last place, 3, and Rajasthan Royals and LSG engaged in a fierce battle. Clearly, only one team has a chance of winning.

Gujarat also won the Indian Premier League last season thanks to their excellent cricket. Additionally, Lucknow’s third-place finish in their inaugural season was solely attributable to the NRR. “You get two chances to make the playoffs if you finish second in the IPL,” Gambhir told SportsTak.

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Regarding KL Rahul, Gambhir does not believe he is under any kind of pressure. IPL and international cricket are distinct sports. Even if a player scores a thousand runs in the Indian Premier League and performs poorly in international cricket, they will still face criticism.

After all, India offers a chance to 15 players. In IPL, in excess of 150 players get chosen. As a result, you shouldn’t compare the Indian Premier League and international cricket added Gambhir.

Rahul leads the Lucknow side in IPL 2023

Rahul, the LSG captain, scored 616 runs in Lucknow’s inaugural IPL season last year. Gambhir also poked fun at former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad while discussing Rahul’s performance in the IPL.

After Rahul’s mediocre scores in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former Indian pacer Prasad launched a vicious attack. Rahul scored a match-winning 75 in the series opener in Mumbai, repaying the selectors’ faith in the Australia ODIs.

In terms of his performance in the IPL, Rahul has scored 4-5 centuries. Furthermore, you are discussing a player who has proactively pummeled 4-5 centuries. He scored a century against the Mumbai Indians even last season. There are a lot of people here. Ex-cricketers sometimes need masala to stay active. This is why you criticize others.

Given KL’s character, I believe he won’t be put under any sort of pressure. A tournament cannot be won by a single player. Gautam Gambhir concluded, “The 25 players in the dressing room help you win the tournament.”

Also Read: IPL 2023: Wish I Was as Level-Headed a Captain as KL Rahul, Gautam Gambhir Praises KL Rahul