KL Rahul : Player to Watch Out in the 3rd Test

The second test between England and India was won by the Indians with a margin of 151 runs, KL Rahul being declared as the Man of the Match for his stunning performance with the bat in the first innings, giving India a head start over the hosts.

Despite being out of form and dropped from the test team, KL Rahul’s comeback felt as if he was already in sublime touch. His movements were swift on the crease and he batted with an excellent temperament.

India is now in lead of the five test match series by 1-0 and if England want to make a comeback right after this huge loss, they need to find a way to get KL Rahul out cheaply. The commentators have constantly stated the fact that English conditions haven’t been favorable for openers. However, the stupendous performance of both the Indian openers might be a sight of worry for the hosts. With KL Rahul playing the way he is, England surely must come up with a strategy to tackle his defense.

Another key aspect to look after is that there would be two more test matches left after the 3rd test. The series would still be alive and can swing in anyone’s favor. So, a strategy and its implementation in the 3rd test itself will boost the chances of England tremendously to not only make a comeback but also perhaps to win the series. To make that happen, they need to make sure they exploit the weakness of KL Rahul .It is well known that KL Rahul struggles against Right arm pacers. His average drops significantly and also his balls per dismissal rate is comparatively low. Perhaps James Anderson and Ollie Robinson can make the most out of this weakness and make KL Rahul struggle for each run.

With the technologies and analysis available now in the cricketing world ,it can come across as no surprise that the English bowlers are already aware of this fact and must be on their way to prepare the tactics to execute the plan of sending KL Rahul for cheap in the first session itself. Balls which nip back in also make KL Rahul uncomfortable on the crease and he barely survives those deliveries. Of course, since his technique has improved so much in such a short span, this factor can’t necessarily get him out but will surely pressurize him, which can then lead to poor shot selection.

The third test match is set to be held at Leeds and every cricket fan just hopes that unlike the first test match, rain doesn’t spoil the game. Eyes will also be set on other big names such as Joe Root who has been consistently performing in the series with two centuries in two matches ; Rohit Sharma who has shown a sign of form with his mesmerizing performance of 83 runs in the second innings and finally, the pick of the bowlers, Mohammed Siraj, who picked up 8 wickets in the second test match and has been attracting attention due to his unusual celebration.