"This is a team game" - Legendary India player blasts KL Rahul for trying to help Shubman Gill reach ton in IND vs ENG 2025 1st ODI 

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was far from pleased with KL Rahul's approach and manner of dismissal in the dying stages of the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6. The wicketkeeper-batter perished after scoring just two runs off nine deliveries before India completed a four-wicket win to take a lead in the three-match affair.

KL Rahul came into bat when India were only 28 runs away from their 249-run target. The Karnataka batter had to settle for the No. 6 position, with the left-handed Axar Patel sent up the order to maintain the combination out in the middle.

While India's win was more or less assured at that stage, Shubman Gill was eyeing a hundred at the other end. The right-handed batter, deployed a No. 3 following Virat Kohli's knee injury, was batting on 81 when Rahul walked out.

The wicketkeeper-batter looked tentative against the turning ball and was eager to grant the strike back to Gill, with the target within touching distance. However, while trying to do so with a soft glance through the leg side, Rahul ended up chipping one back to Adil Rashid to walk back.

Right before Rahul's dismissal in the 36th over, Sunil Gavaskar had warned him against prioritizing Shubman Gill's milestone over playing his natural game for the team's sake.

"He should play his natural game. He is prodding to make sure his partner has a chance of getting a hundred," Gavaskar said during commentary (via The Hindustan Times).

Following the wicket, the former batter did not mince his words, claiming that such an approach had no place in a team game.

"Look what happened. This is exactly what I was talking about. This is a team game, you don't have to do that. He was looking to tap the ball to help his partner get to a century. It was a half-hearted shot," Gavaskar added.

Team India were in a slight spot of bother after Shubman Gill was also dismissed in the very next over. The batter failed to hit the three-figure mark after departing for 87 runs off 96 deliveries. The pair of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja polished off the remaining runs to see India through in the end.

KL Rahul has only three outings at No. 6 in ODIs

The need for a left-handed batter in the middle order, coupled with Axar Patel's rising batting stocks of late, could spell trouble for KL Rahul. The wicketkeeper was shunned to No. 6 during the Sri Lanka tour as well, where he was demoted in the batting order for Washington Sundar.

Rahul has played thrice at No. 6 in his ODI career, including his recent outing against England. He has scored 44 runs at an average of 22 and has a strike rate of 80.