Edited By: Aditya Maheshwari
Last Updated: December 29, 2022, 16:33 IST
KL Rahul continues to struggle with the bat. (AP Photo)
Gambhir suggested that Rahul should not think much about the selectors as it’s an uncontrollable thing which will put undue pressure on him.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has advised KL Rahul to get the best out of himself in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka as no one is dispensable in the side. Rahul has been going through a lean patch with the bat this year and failed to make any impact on the big occasions at Asia Cup and T20 World Cup. After strings of poor performances, he has also been removed from the vice-captain’s position for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka which clearly indicated that he has got very less time to prove his worth now.
He scored just one fifty-plus score on the Bangladesh tour which came in the opening ODI but after that things just didn’t go in his favour at all.
He has also been excluded from the T20I squad for the Bangladesh series, however, the BCCI has not clarified whether he is dropped or rested.
Gambhir, who is known for his blunt remarks, suggested that Rahul should not think much about the selectors as it’s an uncontrollable thing which will put undue pressure on him.
“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,” Gambhir said in Star Sports’ A Chat with Champions.
Year Ender 2022: The Beautiful Game Shines Through as Lionel Messi Completes Football
Gambhir has worked closely with Rahul in the IPL last season where he was the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants. The southpaw stated that the name and talent will not guarantee anyone a spot in the side and Rahul has to perform in the Sri Lanka ODIs to prove his worth.
“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 about their positions too. That’s what international cricket is about. No one is indispensable. 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,” Gambhir said.
Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here