IND v WI 2018: Sanjay Bangar comes out in support of the under-fire KL Rahul

KL Rahul looked like he was playing on a different pitch compared to young Prithvi Shaw at the other end on Day 2 of the second Test.

Bangar feels there is nothing wrong in the methods or technique of KL Rahul | AP

India’s assistant coach Sanjay Bangar has come out in support of the under-fire KL Rahul, saying that there is nothing wrong in the methods or technique of the opening batsman.

After struggling in the majority of the England Test series, Rahul is looking clueless in the ongoing home Test series against West Indies. While the right-hander has scored a four-ball duck in India’s only innings at Rajkot, he fell for 4 off 25 balls on a placid batting track in Hyderabad.

“There are various voices (at this point of time) and then you start doubting your own methods. For us, he has been a very consistent player. So when such a patch comes, it is very important for the team and also from my point of view, that his mind is not clouded quite a lot,” Bangar quoted as saying by PTI.

“That can happen pretty soon a lot at this level when you start to doubt your abilities and methods. So I have to convince him that “yes your methods have been correct. Maybe he can get away from his approach or batting plan a bit,” he added.

Even though Rahul is constantly getting bowled and LBW, Bangar refused to accept that the stylish opener has any technical issue to sort out.

“Don’t think there is too much of a technical fault. But maybe, when gets past that initial phase, he expects the ball to be pitched on stump line. We have been speaking a lot on that,” he asserted.

Bangar also couldn’t provide a solid explanation when asked if Rahul fails in the next Test at Adelaide then under-prepared reserve opener (Mayank Agarwal) might come in the reckoning.

“Well, you need to look at where the player is and you need to keep an eye on the future. Whatever runs he (Rahul) scored for the Indian team, his contributions have come overseas and his contributions even in India has come in tougher times,” Bangar stated.

“You remember the series against Australia (2017), which probably was the most hard-fought series in the domestic calendar in the last couple of years. He was very consistent (six fifties) so for a player of that quality you sort of and where he is at this moment, he has got a long career ahead of him,” he explained.

Bangar also endorsed bowling coach Bharath Arun’s statement and opined that Rahul is a long-term investment.

“He is somebody who is part of all other formats as well, so I think that from a team management point of view we will back players who are capable of winning matches and who are impact players for us and who can change the course of a match,” Sanjay Bangar concluded.

(With PTI inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 14 Oct, 2018

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