KL Rahul had scores of 20, 17 and 1 in three innings of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy. Shubman Gill had scored a double ton and century against New Zealand in ODIs last month.
New Delhi: Reigniting the KL Rahul vs Shubman Gill debate once again, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif stated the senior India cricketer doesn’t deserve to be in the playing XI considering his current form with the bat.
Gill has been in sensational form in international cricket last year across formats. The right-hander scored a double ton and a century against New Zealand in the ODI series against New Zealand. Despite that, Gill wasn’t a part of the playing XIs in India’s first two Tests against Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
It is yet to be seen whether, Gill replaces Rahul in the third Test in Indore starting from March 1. Rahul has scores of 20, 17 and 1 in three innings of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy.
“Ye (Rahul) deserve hi nahi karte Shubman Gill ke hote hue. Bahaana kuch bhi nahi hai, bas inho ko khilaana hai. (Rahul doesn’t even deserve a spot in the XI when Shubman Gill is there. There is no excuse here. The management just want to play him (Rahul),” Latif said in Caught Behind YouTube channel.
Although Rahul has been named in India squads for the third and fourth Tests, the vice-captain tag was removed by the BCCI, creating a speculation that Gill might replace Rahul in Indore. Legendary Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh, commented on the issue, stating that the removal of vice-captain tag might help the management on dropping Rahul in third Test.
“Well, I guess so. Because when you’re not the vice-captain, it becomes easier for the management and selectors to make you sit out. Once you’re a vice-captain, no matter what sort of performances you have given, you’re still featured in those eleven guys who will participate in the game,: Harbhajan said.
“But not that vc tag is not there. with KL Rahul, you know he’s a quality quality player who’s going through a dry patch where he is not scoring runs. We all know that. But I’m sure he will come good with the bat. But yes, the vc tag is not there, which means we will see Shubman Gill opening with Rohit Sharma,” he added.
