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As the Indian opener KL Rahul continues to go through a dry spell, Gautam Gambhir has backed him to bounce back once again. KL Rahul has not produced any remarkable performance in 2023. His struggle on foreign as well as home soil has raised some questions about his consistent selection in the Indian team.
But the former Indian batter believes that this is common for every player. While speaking to ANI Gambhir said "Sometimes you back someone's talent. I applaud Rohit Sharma that he is backing him. Rohit also went through a similar situation in his initial days when he was unable to score a lot of runs. But he got plenty of chances and now sees where he is, so he knows about KL Rahul and I support Rohit's decision. We are up by 2-0 in this series, not down by two games. I believe that he should be given a chance in the next two tests and he will do better". Gautam Gambhir is the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants and he is currently closely monitoring all the players who are involved in this camp to get them ready before the IPL begins. KL Rahul has been struggling since last year. After missing almost six months of action, Rahul has been inconsistent on the pitch since Asia Cup 2022. He was able to score a few half-centuries. But he was constantly surrounded by criticism from fans and former India cricketers for his lack of attacking intent and inability to deliver in big matches. Rahul then played four Tests last year. He was able to score 137 runs with an average of 17.12, which included a single half-century. His dry spell is not limited to a single format. The roots of inconsistency are spread in all three formats. In ODI his performances fall below the average standard. KL Rahul played 10 ODIs last year and he was able to score 251 runs at an average of 27.88. During this period he scored two half-centuries and ended up with 73 as his best score. In 16 T20Is that he played in 2022, he scored 434 runs at an average of 28.93 and six half-centuries, and his best score was 62. Overall in 30 matches last year, he aggregated 822 runs at an average of 25.68, with nine half-centuries. This year in tests, his performance has struck a new low as he has scored 38 runs in three Test innings. For a long time, KL Rahul has been unable to put up a performance on which he can rely when he goes through a bad phase. With his vice-captaincy taken away from him, Rahul may be able to play his game more freely without facing the burden of leadership. India will play the third Test in Indore from March 1 onwards, while the final Test will be held in Ahmedabad from March 9. (ANI)
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