'I quietly went to toilet, shed a tear or two...': Dinesh Karthik's self-example on 'sorry' Rahul, backs Gill to play
Dinesh Karthik, who has played a lot of cricket with Rahul, said he felt bad for the opener. Karthik resonated with Rahul's state and revealed he has gone through similar phases in his career where he went to the washroom and shed a tear or two.
KL Rahul is perhaps going through the worst phase of his international career. He has missed many matches due to injuries in the past. He has been dropped from the Test side due to poor form too but never had he seen a lean patch pretty much across formats, minus the ODIs. He lost his limited-overs vice-captaincy after a string of below-par performances in T20Is. Scores of 8, 12, 10, 22, 23, 10, 2, 20, 17, and 1 in his last 10 Test innings meant the selectors also removed him as Rohit Sharma's deputy in red-ball cricket. Chances are, he might not even play the next two Tests against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Dinesh Karthik, who has played a lot of cricket with Rahul, said he felt bad for the opener. Rahul was out for 1 in the second innings against Australia in the Delhi Test. He did nothing wrong there. He flicked a back-of-a-length delivery firmly but Peter Handscomb at forward short leg somehow managed to get his pads and body on the way to send the ball towards keeper Alex Carey who made no mistake.
Also Read | 'I don't want BCCI or IPL role': Ex-India opener on Dravid, Rohit backing Rahul
Karthik said if Rahul loses his place for the Indore Test starting March 1, it won't be because of that one unlucky dismissal, it will be because of his below-par returns since the South Africa series last year. "He also knows for a fact that if he's going to be dropped for the next match, which is pretty much an eventuality, it is not because of the one innings, it is because of what has transpired in the last five-six Test matches. He is a class player. He is very good in all formats. At this point, I don't think it's the technique, it's what is happening between the ears. He might need some time away from the game. Come back fresh for the ODIs," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Karthik resonated with Rahul's state and revealed he has gone through similar phases in his career where he went to the washroom and shed a tear or two. "This is a professional world, you've got to deal with those sorrowful moments but as a player when I look at what he has gone through. When you get out that way knowing very well this could have been your last innings. It has happened to me when you go into the dressing room, quietly walk into the toilet, and shed a tear or two. It's not a nice feeling because there's not much you can do," he said.
Karthik joined a host of experts and fans in saying that Rahul will have to make way for Shubman Gill at the top of the order for the remainder of the series in Indore and Ahmedabad but the veteran keeper-batter was also confident that the Karnataka cricketer will make a strong comeback in the ODIs.
"Temporarily for the moment, I will have to go with Shubman Gill. He batted beautifully. There will be just one change in the India XI (for the third Test). I felt bad for KL Rahul. He has been under the scanner. But One thing is for sure, KL will come back strongly and when he does, there are not too many right-handed batters who can match him with the quality and range of shots," DK said.
