Sanjay Manjrekar Praises KL Rahul’s Brilliant Performance in Kanpur Test
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar applauded middle-order batter KL Rahul for his brilliant performance on the fourth day of the second and final Test match of the series at Green Park in Kanpur on Monday. Rahul played a magnificent knock of 68 runs in just 43 balls, which included seven boundaries and two sixes, achieving a strike rate of 158.14.
Manjrekar commented, “What you see with KL Rahul, in the two innings that he’s looked really good and he’s looked relaxed, they have been innings where he’s been asked to bat quickly – where India had to score runs quickly. That actually seems to just help KL Rahul free up his mind. And I guess, in many ways, when you look at KL Rahul, even in the IPL or any other format, when he has to think for himself and chart the course, then maybe he finds himself a little outside his comfort zone.”
He added, “So, when he has the license, where there is only a one-point agenda, like today, and even in that second innings [in Chennai], although, it was a brief innings, you just see the class of KL Rahul – the shots that he plays. He must be the best reverse-sweeper that India has got. Loved his commitment to the team cause.”
In a rain-curtailed Test, India raised hopes of pushing for a result even though all signs pointed towards a draw. With an approach of playing England’s ‘Bazball’ in the Indian way, India’s batters went all guns blazing right from the first over. Skipper Rohit Sharma dealt with sixes, while Yashasvi Jaiswal showed aggression in a controlled manner. The base was set, and the rest of the batters played their part to produce a run-scoring fest, an unlikely sight in red-ball cricket. India declared on 285/9, taking a 52-run lead over the visitors. With a handful of overs left, Bangladesh stepped up to see off the day without sustaining much damage. However, Ravichandran Ashwin wasn’t in the mood to let Bangladesh get off the hook easily. His art with the ball and the mechanics of spinning the ball were enough to remove Zakir Hasan and Hasan Mahmud. With Bangladesh trailing by 26 runs and with eight wickets in hand, India would be looking to bowl the visitors out early on the final day.
Doubts Revealed
Sanjay Manjrekar -: Sanjay Manjrekar is a former Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team. He is now a cricket commentator and analyst.
KL Rahul -: KL Rahul is an Indian cricketer who plays for the Indian national team. He is known for his batting skills and has played in many important matches for India.
Kanpur Test -: The Kanpur Test refers to a cricket match played in Kanpur, a city in India. Test matches are a type of cricket game that can last up to five days.
boundaries -: In cricket, a boundary is when the ball is hit and reaches the edge of the field, scoring four runs if it touches the ground or six runs if it doesn’t.
sixes -: A six in cricket is when the ball is hit over the boundary without touching the ground, scoring six runs.
reverse-sweeping -: Reverse-sweeping is a special cricket shot where the batsman hits the ball in the opposite direction to a normal sweep shot, often surprising the fielders.
declared -: In cricket, declaring means the team decides to end their batting innings voluntarily, usually to give themselves time to bowl out the other team.
285/9 -: 285/9 means the team scored 285 runs and lost 9 wickets. A wicket is when a batsman gets out.
leading by 52 runs -: Leading by 52 runs means the team has scored 52 more runs than the other team at that point in the game.
bowl out -: To bowl out a team means to get all the batsmen of the opposing team out, ending their batting innings.