Hosts India dominated Australia in 1st Two Tests of four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, winning both Tests within first three days to take 2-0 lead. Rohit Sharma & Co. attained a resounding win over Australia in 1st Test, defeating them by an innings and 132 runs. They continued their dominance at home in 2nd Test as well, defeating Australia by 6 wickets in Delhi.
However, the Indian team management was compelled to take the tough call of removing KL Rahul from India XI for Ind vs Aus 3rd Test in Indore, naming talented youngster Shubman Gill as his replacement. This was another major blow for Rahul after being removed as India's Test vice-captain following his prolonged lean patch in the format. The star middle-order-batter scored just 38 runs in three innings he batted for India in first two Tests.
Meanwhile, Former India opener and 1983 World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth has given a big statement on KL Rahul. He said that he is very happy that Rahul was not playing in the Indore Test as it was difficult for any batter to score runs on such pitch.
"First and foremost, I am happy for KL Rahul. Thankfully, good that he did not play. If he had played on these wickets and failed to get going in the next two Tests, and his career could have ended... thank god, he didn't play. Frankly speaking," he said, speaking on his YouTube channel Cheeky Cheeka.
Sharing his opinion of Indore pitch, Srikkanth pointed out how the track took a vicious turn as all Indian batters, apart from Cheteshwar Pujara, failed to score runs in India's second innings.
"On these pitches, batting is very difficult. Whoever it is, batting is difficult. Let it be anybody, be it Virat Kohli, no one can score runs on these pitches. If you looked at it, Kuhnemann, bowling in the first innings, got the ball to rip through and turn square.
"On these wickets, taking wickets is not a big thing. Even if I had bowled, I would have picked up wickets. These are all hard talks, we have to accept them," he added.