Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 12 : Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra lauded India's wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul's versatility and finishing ability after his unbeaten 29-run knock, which guided India to a four-wicket victory in a tense chase during the first game of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, on Sunday.
Chasing 301, India faced a scare as they were reduced to 242/5, when India all-rounder Harshit Rana joined KL Rahul at the crease.
Rahul, playing cautiously, stitched a 37-run innings with Rana, letting the all-rounder do the bulk of the scoring while he made sure that New Zealand didn't get his wicket, as that would have given the opposition a chance to get to the Indian tail.
After Rana's wicket, Rahul stitched a 27-run partnership with Washington Sundar, scoring most of the runs himself.
Rahul resisted big shots until the 49th over. With India requiring 12 off the last 12 balls, Rahul put his foot on the pedal and scored back-to-back boundaries and then followed it up with a six in the last three balls of the penultimate over, guiding Team India to a win.
Speaking on JioStar, Aakash Chopra praised KL Rahul's calm and intelligent knock, highlighting his versatility, ability to pace the chase, and composure under pressure. He compared Rahul's control in the death overs to MS Dhoni, lauding him for excelling in the finisher's role.
"KL Rahul's batting approach in this first ODI against New Zealand was interesting. We know him as an aggressive player. But here, with Harshit Rana and an injured Washington Sundar batting with him, he was different. Many times you think he will accelerate and finish the match quickly with a big shot, but he took his time. The first ball he hit in the 49th over wasn't a boundary ball, but he found the boundary. He has the ability of finding the boundaries easily and He hits his shots when he wants," said the JioStar expert Aakash Chopra
"He was taking singles off balls he usually hits, but he waited for the right chances. In a different way, his versatility is his biggest quality. Ask him to open, keep the wickets, or be the stand-in captain, he will do it. He just hasn't bowled yet, that is pending. In these death overs, controlling the chase so well, controlling the nerves almost like Dhoni, hats off to KL Rahul. He is excelling at the toughest role in modern cricket - The finisher," he added further.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
