Former fast bowlers Ajit Agarkar and Courtney Walsh tried to analyze the technique of KL Rahul, who is going through a lean patch. He has been struggling to get going in the recent past except for his fine knock of 149 in the fifth and final Test match at Oval. Rahul has had his issues with the incoming delivery and has been often dismissed via leg-before-wicket or bowled. Thus, it is a worrying sign for Indian cricket.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul has been mentally under the pressure as well. In fact, it was palpable from the way he batted in the first innings of the second Test match. He could not trouble the scorers in the first Test match. On the other hand, he took 25 balls for his four runs in the first innings of the ongoing Test match in Hyderabad.
Therefore, it seems that KL’s lean patch has impacted his mindset, thus leaving him in a muddle. Ajit Agarkar believes the tentativeness has led to Rahul’s downfall.
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During a chat on ESPN Cricinfo, Agarkar said, “It is a strange one for KL Rahul. He had a tough tour of England but the last inning he played in England was a 149. So, to say he is in a bad mental space is a strange one. Obviously, you can see he is not confident enough, he is worried about getting out. Therefore, the tentativeness has come into his game today. He tried to put his foot straighter today because he is getting out to the ball coming in. Thus, the tentativeness to leave the ball or play the game has eventually played on the stumps”.
On the other hand, Courtney Walsh reckons that there was a difference of confidence between Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul. However, the latter both of them are expected to fly down under for the Test series and latter’s form will play a crucial role in the series against Australia.
The legendary fast bowler explained, “I think the difference between them was the confidence. Shaw is coming after scoring a hundred in the first Test match. Rahul is struggling a little bit and once you are struggling, you are going to be tentative and you can see he has been tentative. I don’t doubt his ability as a player, he is a good player, all the players go through a bad phase at some point in their career.”
