KL Rahul has been witnessing some torrid times in international cricket. The Indian opener has been struggling to get going as he failed to prove himself in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2022 and also in the following bilateral series. Looking at his downfall, the outgoing selection panel removed the wicket-keeper batter from the vice-captaincy position in white-ball cricket and his future in T20Is looks dull at the moment.
Following the squad announcement for the Sri Lanka series, former Indian opener, Gautam Gambhir reminded Rahul that there’s always someone who can replace him in the squad. He mentioned that no one is indispensable in the team and even the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can lose their spot if they fail to perform on a consistent basis.
ALSO READ: Shivam Mavi Praises The Captaincy of Hardik Pandya
During a conversation on Star Sports’ A Chat with Champions show, Gautam Gambhir said, “If you don’t perform, someone else will take your position. That’s not only with Sanju or KL, it’s with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as well. If they don’t perform, you will start questioning their positions too. That’s what international cricket is about. No one is indispensable.”
He further added, “So you got three ODIs, you bat in the middle-order, try and get those runs, because ultimately it’s the performance that keeps you in the side. Not the name, not your talent.”
The 2011 World Cup winner also shared how KL Rahul can improve in the Sri Lanka series. The 41-year-old mentioned that Rahul needs to live in the moment and not think about things that are beyond his reach. He also stated that the opener can’t put himself in undue pressure against the Lanka lions.
ALSO READ: R Ashwin Reveals How He Praised Liton Das In Bangladesh
Gautam Gambhir explained, “You can only control what you can control. You can’t control selectors, you can’t control what’s going to happen in the next series. You got three ODIs against Sri Lanka. If you play that, just be in the present. That’s all you can control. The moment you start to think about uncontrollable things, you’re putting undue pressure on yourself.”
