‘Why can’t he be dropped?’ – Kapil Dev questions star India batter’s inclusion in playing XI for Tests vs Australia
'He is a very matured player; I even like him,' he added.
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Feb 8, 2023 12:21 pm
‘Why can’t he be dropped?’ – Kapil Dev questions star India batter’s inclusion in playing XI for Tests vs Australia (Image Source: Twitter)
India and Australia will face off in the first Test set to get underway on February 9, Thursday and the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team are aiming at winning the series for the third consecutive time, unlike the Baggy Greens who lost the previous two contests in their own backyard in 2018/19 and 2020/21.
That being said, former Indian captain Kapil Dev, opened up on star Indian batter KL Rahul and said that the batter must be kept out of the playing XI if there is no need to play him. To add more, with Shubman Gill in the supreme form, the Indian think tank are in a dilemma if to open with Gill or Rahul in the first Test.
For the unversed, the Indian batter will make his comeback after his marriage to Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty. The right-handed batter has been struggling to give his best across all formats. It remains to be seen if Rahul could make a comeback in the Tests vs Australia although fans claim that he is far from regaining his form.
You need to look at team combination: Kapil Dev
Further, Kapil said that the batter must be dropped if needed and that the Indian team must come above all. If at all Gill gets to bat in the middle order, it might backfire as the batter is most comfortable at the opening slot and has been proving his might across all formats.
“Why can’t he be dropped? There should be no such rule. You need to look at team combination, who do we need. There is no necessity. In Indian cricket, I don’t think there is ever a vice-captain. Back in the day, we had a new VC in every Test match. He is a very matured player; I even like him,” Kapil was quoted as saying to Uncut.
“I consider him to be a fine batter but if he doesn’t fit in the team, then let it be. The team comes first and I guess for that the captain and the management needs to take a call. Some players are lucky. Rahul Dravid too played many such matches where he was made to keep wicket,” he added.
