Despite KL Rahul’s struggles in the Bengaluru Test, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed the under-fire batter saying the noise on social media doesn’t matter to him. Rahul recorded a duck and managed just 12 in the second Test of the series opener as New Zealand went on to beat India by eight wickets to take 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
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Rahul is increasingly under pressure for a regular spot in India’s lower middle order with Sarfaraz Khan making a strong claim. In Bengaluru, Sarfaraz scored a big century after making the cut in the playing XI in the absence of opener Shubman Gill.
“Social media does not matter one bit,” Gambhir told reporters on Wednesday. “What the team management and leadership group thinks is very important. He is batting really well, had a decent knock in Kanpur (against Bangladesh on a difficult wicket.”
“I am sure he would be knowing that he has to score big runs and he has capability of scoring runs. That’s why he has been backed by the team…Ultimately, everyone is judged. International cricket is all about being judged,” he added.
India were high-on-confidence given excellent home record but New Zealand stunned them in conditions that suited seam and swing bowling. Gambhir accepted that the tourists proved to be a better side.
“Cricket, sports are a big leveller. If we have enjoyed days like Kanpur we had to endure what happened in Bengaluru. We didn’t show any intention to bat out the remainder of the two and a half days,” Gambhir said.
India were skittled for a mere 46 runs after opting to bat first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. In reply, New Zealand racked up 462 with Rachin Ravindra scoring a memorable century.
India produced a vastly improved show in their second dig but it wasn’t enough as New Zealand recorded their first Test win on Indian soil since 1988.
The second Test starts from Thursday in Pune.
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