Last year, in the home season, KL Rahul got the chance in the playing XI after Shikhar Dhawan suffered a leg injury. Well, Rahul grabbed the opportunity with open hands. Interestingly, now there are talks to give the wicket-keeper batsman a permanent place as an opener, replacing Dhawan in the shortest format. But the speculations didn’t affect Shikhar Dhawan as he is delighted Rahul’s remarkable performance with the bat.
Earlier, giving a degrading performance in the Test series, Rahul’s place was in danger when it comes to the white-ball cricket as well.
However, as the phrase says “opportunity knocks but once”, Rahul fully utilized that chance.
He has stood for the team as an opener in the absence of Dhawan. Whereas, with the start of the new year, he grabbed another role of wicketkeeper and impressed with the new job also.
Recently, given the role of the finisher in the ODI series against New Zealand, Rahul scored a magnificent century in the third game and led the team to set up the respected total.
Shikhar Dhawan Applauds KL Rahul’s century:
Heaping the praise on KL Rahul, Dhawan took the social media to mention that the former could score a ton even being a 12th man.
“Well played and wonderful century bro keep going strong. The way you are batting, even if you go as 12th man you will score a ton,”
However, Indian has lost the ODI series but has witnessed Rahul delivering goods at No. 5 spot. Before the ODI series, he was the opening partner of Rohit Sharma in the five-match T20I series. As an opener, he scored 224 at an average of 56 in five games. While in One-dayers, he scored 204 runs in three games.
Meanwhile, Dhawan, who was ruled out of the New Zealand tour because of the shoulder injury which he suffered during the ODI series against Australia, might return to the team against South Africa series at home.