Venkatesh Prasad questions long rope for KL Rahul: “Some are just lucky to be given chances endlessly till they succeed”

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad has questioned the long rope being given to Team India opener KL Rahul in Test cricket. While pointing out the performances of Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan, Prasad stated that there are many deserving players waiting in the wings.

Rahul, who is India’s Test vice-captain, was dismissed for 20 in the first innings of the ongoing Test against Australia in Nagpur. Since his half-century against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2022, the Indian opener has registered a highest score of 23 in eight Test innings.

Taking to the official Twitter handle on Saturday, February 11, Prasad shared his frank views on Rahul. He wrote:

“I have a lot of regard for KL Rahul’s talent and ability, but sadly his performances have been well below par. A test average of 34 after 46 tests and more than 8 years in international cricket is ordinary. Can’t think of many who have been given so many chances. Especially when there are so many waiting in the wings & in top form.

Terming the 30-year-old as lucky to get so many chances at the top level, he added:

“Shubman Gill is in sublime form, Sarfaraz has been scoring tons in FC cricket and many who deserve a chance ahead of Rahul. Some are just lucky to be given chances endlessly till they succeed while some aren’t allowed to.”

Gill, who has been in sensational white-ball form, notched up his maiden Test hundred during the tour of Bangladesh in December last year.

Mumbai batter Sarfaraz, meanwhile, has been knocking on the selection doors for the last couple of seasons. In 37 first-class matches, the right-handed batter has smashed 3505 runs at a stupendous average of 79.65.

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Team India’s batting coach backs under-fire Rahul

Even as the pressure has been growing on Rahul with every failure, Team India’s head coach Vikram Rathour threw his weight behind the under-fire cricketer.

At a press conference on Friday, Rathour was asked how long Rahul could hang on to his place in the Test team, especially with Gill in such stupendous form. Referring to the batter’s success in overseas conditions, Rathour responded:

“To be fair to KL, in the last 10 Test innings (matches) that he has played, he has, I think, couple of hundreds and couple of fifties. He has a hundred in South Africa and one in England. He has a couple of fifties as well. So, I don’t think we are there.”

Playing in his 46th Test, Rahul has scored 2624 runs at an underwhelming average of 34.07, with seven hundreds to his name.