KL Rahul, the Team India batter, has not been at his best in recent times as he has struggled to make runs for the team. His batting failures continued during the India vs New Zealand 1st Test, which India lost, casting doubt over his place in the playing 11 for the next two Tests of the series. With Shubman Gill set to return from injury and Sarfaraz Khan being in sublime form, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate opened up on the Sarfaraz vs Kl Rahul tussle ahead of the second Test in Pune.
During India's recent loss to New Zealand in the first Test of the series at home in Bengaluru, Rahul was again in the negative spotlight as he fell for a duck in the first innings and then could only manage 12 runs in the second innings of the IND vs NZ Test.
Doeschate Admits Rahul vs Sarfaraz Selection Dilemma
Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged the competition for a spot in the team, confirming that both Rahul and Sarfaraz are battling for a place. He shared this during a media interaction at the MCA Stadium ahead of the second IND vs NZ Test in Pune.
"Yeah, there's no point in sugarcoating it, there's a fight for a spot," ten Doeschate told the media.
While Doeschate praised Sarfaraz's performance in the last Test, he also mentioned having no concerns about KL Rahul. However, he acknowledged the challenge of selecting six players from seven, stating that the final decision will depend on the pitch and what’s best for the team.
"Sarfaraz was obviously brilliant in the last Test. I went to KL after the last Test (and) said how many balls do you play at (and) miss at? He didn't play at (and) miss at one ball and that's what tends to happen when you're not getting runs. There's certainly no concerns about KL, he's batting nicely, he's in a good mental space. But we are certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch now and decide what's going to be best for the team," he said.
Doeschate Highlights Gautam Gambhir's Trust In Kl Rahul
Doeschate also emphasised that there are no concerns about KL Rahul's form, highlighting the team's trust in him, especially under Gautam Gambhir's backing over the past three months. However, he acknowledged the competitive environment, with Sarfaraz's impressive 222* in the Irani Trophy and then ythe 150 in the first IND vs NZ Test. The final selection will prioritise what's best for the team, while supporting all players involved.
"It's not like we're worried about his form. If you go on just the past three months since Gauti has been in here, he's keen to give him (Rahul) as much rope as we can. We have a lot of faith in him. But at the same time, it's a very competitive environment, with Sarfaraz getting 150 plus runs (222 not out) in the Irani Trophy final. The decision will be what's best for the team, but we'll certainly back all the guys in," he added.