IND vs SA | We arenât a team thatâs scared to try, reveals KL Rahul
KL Rahul will lead the Indian side in ODIs against South Africa
|India ODI captain for South Africa series KL Rahul has said that the team isnât scared to try and they will try out new things in the ODI series this year. Rahul further added that the team wants to execute some ideas on the field so that they will indicate whether the team is doing right or not.
After a defeat against South Africa in the Test series by 2-1, India are all set to play a three match ODI series. The team will miss the services of Indiaâs ODI captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will lead the side in his absence. Rahul has experience of captaining Punjab Kings in the IPL but leading the national side will be a different challenge altogether.Â
Reflecting on how the team will approach the upcoming ODIs, Rahul said that they are not scared to try things and experiment. He also added that the team wants to execute some new ideas and plans which will indicate if the strategies are right.
"This year we will be playing a few one-day series, which will give us a chance to try out new things. We've all sat down as a team and had an honest talk about the things we need to improve and the things that we need to get better at. Everyone is committed to it. We have some ideas, some plans. We want to try out those things in the coming series. That will give us an indication if we're doing it right, whether our strategies and tactics are right. We aren't a team that's scared to try. Our focus will be on the World Cup and getting the best XI on the park,â Rahul said in a pre-match post conference.Â
KL Rahul will open the batting along with Shikhar Dhawan in Rohitâs absence. Indiaâs main concern has been in the middle order where Rahul has been performing well in last couple of years. He has the ability to anchor the innings and can accelerate in death overs too. Since 2018, he has averaged 56.08 in 16 innings batting at No 4-5 and providing a solidity in the middle order.Â
Reflecting on his move to open the innings, Rahul said that the team needs to be flexible and the players should be ready for certain things the team will want them to do.Â
 "We have to be flexible. One of the talks that we've had is that we don't want to be a team that is very predictable. There might be games where I'll need to bat in the middle order if that's what the team needs. I might have to open the batting, which I'm okay with. There are team plans and strategies. According to that, everyone will have their roles clear but everyone also understands that they will have to be ready for certain things that team wants them to do,â he stated.Â
Captaining the team for ODI series in South Africa against South Africa will be a challenging task for KL Rahul. He will have a challenge to make blueprint for the team how to move ahead in terms of their preparation and planning for ODI World Cup this year.Â
Reflecting on his captaincy, Rahul said that he will look to create an environment where players will be encouraged to give their best on the ground.Â
"For me as a leader, it will just be about supporting the guys and keeping the guys in a mindset where they are excited and want to go out there and do special things for the team, for the country," he concluded.Â
