"Plays one big knock and then fails in the next five innings" - Saba Karim on KL Rahul ahead of 2nd Test

Former keeper-batter Saba Karim recently stated that Team India's stand-in captain KL Rahul needs to be more consistent with his batting performances.

Karim highlighted that Rahul tends to fizzle out after playing one promising knock. He pointed out that the right-handed batter needs to get out of his rut, given that he has failed to impress of late in all three formats.

The cricketer-turned-commentator suggested that Rahul needs to get back to form in order to retain his place in the Test team, given that Shubman Gill has made a strong case for him with a fine century in the series opener against Bangladesh.

Speaking to India News Sports on Wednesday, December 21, Karim said:

"Ups and downs are part and parcel of the game. KL Rahul plays one big knock and then fails in the next five innings. He is under a lot of pressure, and his lean patch has gone on for quite some time now. He has not been able to bat with authority across formats lately. There will be more pressure on him if Shubman Gill once again scores big."

Notably, Rahul got off to decent starts in the first Test against Bangladesh. However, he failed to convert them into big ones, finishing with scores of 22 and 23 in the first and second innings, respectively.

Rahul and Gill will be India's opening pair for the upcoming second Test as well, with regular skipper Rohit Sharma ruled out due to a thumb injury. Karim claimed that while Rohit will walk back into the side once he is fit, Rahul will have to prove his worth as he now has some tough competition in the form of Gill.

Karim elaborated:

"If someone is part of the team and has to sit out because of an injury, he deserves to get his place back once he is fit. It doesn't matter if his replacement has scored a century. I believe Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are going to be India's first-choice openers in Tests. Yes, if KL Rahul continues to fail, we have someone like Shubman Gill ready."

Gill received widespread appreciation for his batting exploits in the first Test. While he was dismissed for 20 in the first innings, he made amends with a fantastic 110-run knock in the second essay.

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"Don't think he will be under any pressure" - Saba Karim on Ravichandran Ashwin

Saba Karim further went on to say that senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin won't be under pressure after a sub-par outing with the ball against Bangladesh.

The former cricketer opined that Ashwin might need some time to adjust since he is playing red-ball cricket after a long break. He backed the 36-year-old to come up with an improved performance in the forthcoming contest.

He added:

"Ravichandran Ashwin is a quality bowler and an experienced campaigner. We must understand that he played a Test match after a long time. It takes time for the bowlers to adjust. It's not like he bowled badly in the first Test. I don't think he will be under any pressure. I expect him to do well in the second Test and also in the upcoming home series against Australia."

Ashwin picked up just one wicket in the first Test. However, he contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 58 runs in the first innings. India secured a brilliant 188-run win to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

The second Test between India and Bangladesh is set to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka from Thursday, December 22.