KL Rahul failed to impress against Bangladesh in Chennai Test© BCCI/Sportzpics
Going has gotten tough for KL Rahul, but the veteran batter hasn't yet found a way to get going. Already out of India's T20I scheme, Rahul is staring at elimination from the Test squad too, owing to repeated poor shows. In Chennai, Rahul struggled to get his bat to do the talking in the first innings and when he came out to bat in the second innings, skipper Rohit Sharma's declaration decision was right around the corner. Ahead of the second Test between India and Bangladesh, Rahul has reportedly been issued a warning from the team management.
With a proven performer in subcontinent conditions like Sarfaraz Khan waiting in the wings, Rahul's place in India's XI could come under threat, as per a report in the Telegraph India. In the first innings against Bangladesh at Chennai, scoring 16 off 52 and 22 not-out off 19 respectively.
But, it isn't just the Chennai Test where Rahul flopped. His performance in the sole Duleep Trophy outing before that also raised eyebrows. Rahul scored 37 off 111 and 57 off 121 deliveries in the domestic tournament, with his laboured approach not going down well with the management.
A BCCI official, as per the report, said that Rahul has been in "kind of a shell".
"That was not just in Chennai, but in this year's Duleep Trophy too," the official added.
"In the Duleep game too, Rahul looked to construct the innings and it was a challenge for him against some good fast bowlers on a seaming wicket. He looked calm and cool and played to the merit of the ball. Intent-wise, he was perfect," former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, also a former national selector, told the paper.
However, the Joshi feels Rahul can redeem himself if he starts to spend more time in the middle.
"His numbers in Tests abroad speak for themselves. He just needs to spend more time at the crease which will lead to runs, whoever the opposition is, because he has every shot in his armoury.
"He needs to consume more number of balls just to feel the red-ball intent because red-ball cricket is played session-wise," Joshi explained.