The former head selector of Team India, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, has recommended that the team play young opener Shubman Gill instead of the inconsistent KL Rahul.
Krishnamachari Srikkanth, a former top selector for Team India, has advocated for youthful opener Shubman Gill to replace KL Rahul, an ineffective batter. While Rohit Sharma’s India side now holds an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul’s play has been causing for concern. Rahul has been demoted from his vice-captaincy role but kept in the team for the third and fourth Tests against Australia. But, skipper Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid have backed the under-firing batsman.
Srikkanth added that if he was the top selector, he would’ve ordered Rahul to take a sabbatical from the sport.
“Although I greatly respect Rahul’s sophistication—in fact, I like to refer to him as “Rolls Royce Rahul”—things aren’t working out for him at the moment. If I were chairman of selectors, I would have approached him and suggested he take a sabbatical “The Tamil newspaper TOI quoted Srikkanth as saying.
Srikkanth elaborated on Rahul’s difficulties, saying that he is fighting more of a mental war than he is a mechanical deficit in his game.
“I cannot pinpoint a technical shortcoming in his game at the moment. I think this is more mental and all Rahul needs to do is take a break and clear his thoughts out. There’s no reason why he can’t come back all guns blazing. Although I much admire Rahul, I must now play Shubman. Once a player is in top form, he should not be made to wait “Srikanth remarked.
