Zaheer Khan sees a few similarities between batsman KL Rahul and ex-India captain Rahul Dravid who besides sharing the same name and originating from the same city of Bengaluru keep wickets too.
Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who played a lot with and under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy drew a comparison between the two players after KL Rahul, 29, opened the innings for India and did a great job top-scoring for India with 84 in the first Test against England.
Zaheer Khan Points Out Similarities Between Rahul Dravid And KL Rahul
Given how KL Rahul has been Virat Kohli’s go-to man for India and stepping up to take up different responsibilities – such as shuffling up and down the batting order and keeping wicket when need be, Zaheer Khan reckons some traits are common between the two Rahul’s.
“‘That’ Rahul also held the wicketkeeping gloves for the team and this Rahul did the same as well. It could either be the Bangalore connection or the connection of their names but he’s very talented too,” Zaheer said on Cricbuzz.
“Rahul Dravid has done so much for India that this show won’t suffice to talk about it. But yes, seeing such a role model who has done so much for the team compared to him and seeing that he’s being looked at with the same eyes, KL Rahul would be very happy.”
KL Rahul Surely Deserves Praise: Zaheer Khan
With Shubman Gill already back home, Mayank Agarwal injured and Prithvi Shaw having just reached England, KL Rahul was tasked with the responsibility of opening the innings along with Rohit Sharma, and he answered the challenge with aplomb, keeping the innings steady with a 12th Test fifty. Zaheer Khan feels as the series progresses, KL Rahul will be the player to watch out for.
“KL Rahul will be talked about a lot throughout this series. The way he has utilized the opportunity, the application he has shown, the way he’s leaving balls and even some of the cover drives he has played, the head position and the perfect lean, he surely deserves praise,” Zaheer added.
KL Rahul had scored a century in a three-day warm-up game before the Test series and produced a confident 84 in the first innings of the opening match, helping India take a 95-run lead. Opening batsman KL Rahul, in his first Test for nearly two years, top-scored with 84 as India made 278 in reply to England’s meagre first-innings 183.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s typically dashing 56 featured eight fours and a six. There was more pain for England in-store when tailender Jasprit Bumrah made a Test-best 28 after his 4 wicket haul in England’s 1st innings.