'You can't bench KL Rahul after just one Test. There's no need to panic': Former India spinner wants Rohit Sharma to pick same playing XI for Pune Test

KL Rahul registered scores of 0 and 12 in the Bengaluru Test which India lost by eight wickets after they were bowled out for 46 in the first innings.

Sports Tak

• Tue • 22 Oct 2024

India's KL Rahul (R) reacts after fielding the ball during the fifth and final day of the first Test against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

Virat Kohli, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul

Highlights:

Venkatpathy Raju does not want Rohit Sharma to tinker with the playing XI.

Raju feels that Rahul shouldn't be dropped after one lacklustre outing.

Former Indian spinner Venkathpathy Raju has come in defense of an underfire KL Rahul. Raju wants one more chance Rahul to prove his mettle after he followed by a duck in first innings with a 12-run knock in the first Test against New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Raju does not want Indian team to hit the panic button after the eight-wicket loss in series opener as they are still ruling the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings. He wants captain Rohit Sharma to go into the Pune Test starting October 24 with the same playing XI.

"I don't think we should tinker with the playing XI. If I were the captain, I would go with the same side. You need experienced hands in your team. You can't bench KL Rahul after just one Test match. He is an experienced batter and should play the next Test. There's no need to panic. India are still on top of the WTC standings. Rohit is a positive captain. He goes in with a positive approach, and he knows that what's done is done, and now it's time to level the series. I’m sure he will," Raju told TimesofIndia.com.

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No need to panic yet

Raju does not want the team management to think of the ongoing series but the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

"India should think about those five Tests in Australia and not panic. Let’s play KL Rahul in the second Test and give him a chance. He’ll bounce back. He has experience. India just need to pull up their socks. That’s it," he added.

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Rahul’s record at home

Rahul's last Test century in home conditions came in 2016 when he scored 199 against England in Chennai. However, in the last four Tests, he has scored two half-centuries. In addition, Rahul has had a poor record in the second innings of a Test. The last fifty-plus score in the second innings he scored was in 2018. He scored 149 against England at the Oval. His last fifty in the second innings of a Test on Indian soil came against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in 2017.