KL Rahul has to come out and back his natural game, says Wasim Jaffer
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer wants KL Rahul to go out and back his natural game when he opens for the Men in Blue. Jaffer reckons that Rahul’s ability will only get him so far if he continues to be inconsistent, as both Rohit Sharma and Prithvi Shaw are waiting in-line for a chance.
From one opening batsman to another, Jaffer understands the tough nature of facing fast-bowlers running up to deliver swinging, seaming red darts at them. Jaffer went the way of survival during his days because it suited his game, but he hopes the junior opening batsman can play with more freedom – the style that suits him.
"I feel a little bit disappointed with KL Rahul because he has so much ability, he is one of the guys (players) who has got 100 in all three formats (of the game). He has got the game, but somewhere I feel he does not express himself, the way he needs to. I think he needs to come out and back his game. Sometimes I feel he gets too defensive for no reason. I feel he just holds himself back and doesn't express himself the way he expresses probably in first-class cricket, but the moment he goes into international cricket, I feel that he holds himself a little bit," Jaffer told PTI.
“He needs to score a lot more consistently. And his mode of dismissals makes me a bit disappointed because he gets out very softly at times. The way he gets out and the way he does not get that many runs, that surprises me...I feel somewhere he is missing those puzzles (sic) in his jigsaw,” he added.
Rahul's struggles are highlighted by his numbers – an average of 36.82 in the opening slot, which he has occupied in 33 of the 36 games he has been part of. Rahul managed to score just 101 runs in the two Tests against West Indies, which India won 2-0. Quite obviously, his place in the team has been questioned due to his failure to make the opening slot his own despite the number of chances that he has been offered by the team management.
"He (Rohit) can be looked up to as an opening (batsman) because Rohit has the ability. Nobody expected him to open in the ODIs and score these many runs. Once you put him in that position, only then you will find out," Jaffer said.
Another candidate for the slot is young India and Mumbai opener Shaw, for whom the domestic cricket legend had a word of advice.
"He (Shaw) needs to look at senior players who put cricket as their priority, so he needs to look at himself and put cricket as priority and others things which is stopping him from doing that he needs to cut those," he said.
Shaw is currently suspended for eight months for an anti-doping violation.
Although Jaffer lauded India's utter dominance of the West Indies, he expects the No.1 Test team to stamp their mark in a similar mark in other countries outside the subcontinent as well.
"I feel, we need to see the domination of the Indian team in places like England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa .... they have beaten Australia, beaten South Africa. But that is where India need to show their domination when they tour these places, we still need to win a Test series in England, we still need to win a Test series in South Africa," Jaffer added.